Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, plant vacuum fed, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer

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OT-2026-000035452

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, plant vacuum fed, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:23:26 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035452
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Position and Presence Sensing, Vacuum Sensors, Valves and Manifolds
Document SHA-256: 0b5991e586cce495e5f6ee83b32eb1f13bc5be48d1cf29c59b353d42f43b8c69

Abstract

A bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one manifold, one pressure sensor, one contact detector and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves, starting the cycle at the moment of contact, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

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

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

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

[0005]One manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has four outlets.

[0006]One pressure sensor. The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured in the supply line.

[0007]One contact detector. The contact detector reports the moment a workpiece is present at the gripping face; its sensing technology is not fixed by this arrangement. The contact detector is mounted on the gripping face.

[0008]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a sustained blast. The blow-off pulse is given before set-down.

[0009]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0011]The manifold inlet is connected to the plant vacuum connection, which supplies every outlet of the manifold.

[0012]Each manifold outlet feeds one bellows cup by its own vacuum line, so that the four outlets feed four bellows cups.

[0013]The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the plant vacuum connection and the distribution and reads the pressure of the whole circuit.

[0014]The contact detector is mounted on the gripping face and reports the moment a workpiece is present against the gripping face.

[0015]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0016]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0017]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0019]The blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor and the contact detector report to the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0020]

After the contact detector has detected the workpiece, the vacuum supply is actuated by the cell controller.

[0021]

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

[0022]

When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor.

[0023]

The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip.

[0024]

Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface.

[0025]

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

[0026]The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and the contact detector (on the gripping face) and commands the blow-off valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0027]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); outlets of the manifold: four (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); placement of the pressure sensor: in the supply line (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); placement of the contact detector: on the gripping face (sets where the presence of the workpiece is detected); duration of the blow-off valve: a sustained blast (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: before set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0028]The workpiece is released while it is still above the receiving surface and falls the remaining distance onto it. This sequence is for a workpiece and a receiving surface that tolerate that drop, for example a part released into a container or onto a conveyor; the drop height is set by the application and is not fixed here.

[0029]The blow-off is a sustained blast: the valve stays open for the whole release so that the face is cleared of dust and the workpiece is pushed positively away.

[0030]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0031]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

[0032]Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference.

5. Provenance and status

[0033]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2022339798-A1, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain text Markdown Manifest Integrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000035452, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, plant vacuum fed, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:23:26 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035452.

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

Terms

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

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000035452" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, plant vacuum fed, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035452" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "sensors-controls-machine-vision/position-and-presence-sensing" - "sensors-controls-machine-vision/force-and-pressure-sensing/vacuum-sensors" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" keywords: - "bellows compliant vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "manifold" - "pressure sensor" - "contact detector" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, plant vacuum fed, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one manifold, one pressure sensor, one contact detector and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves, starting the cycle at the moment of contact, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per manifold outlet. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One manifold.** The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has four outlets. [0006] **One pressure sensor.** The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured in the supply line. [0007] **One contact detector.** The contact detector reports the moment a workpiece is present at the gripping face; its sensing technology is not fixed by this arrangement. The contact detector is mounted on the gripping face. [0008] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a sustained blast. The blow-off pulse is given before set-down. [0009] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0011] The manifold inlet is connected to the plant vacuum connection, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0012] Each manifold outlet feeds one bellows cup by its own vacuum line, so that the four outlets feed four bellows cups. [0013] The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the plant vacuum connection and the distribution and reads the pressure of the whole circuit. [0014] The contact detector is mounted on the gripping face and reports the moment a workpiece is present against the gripping face. [0015] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0016] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0017] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0019] The blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor and the contact detector report to the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - After the contact detector has detected the workpiece, the vacuum supply is actuated by the cell controller. - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor. - The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip. - Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0026] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and the contact detector (on the gripping face) and commands the blow-off valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0027] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); outlets of the manifold: four (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); placement of the pressure sensor: in the supply line (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); placement of the contact detector: on the gripping face (sets where the presence of the workpiece is detected); duration of the blow-off valve: a sustained blast (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: before set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0028] The workpiece is released while it is still above the receiving surface and falls the remaining distance onto it. This sequence is for a workpiece and a receiving surface that tolerate that drop, for example a part released into a container or onto a conveyor; the drop height is set by the application and is not fixed here. [0029] The blow-off is a sustained blast: the valve stays open for the whole release so that the face is cleared of dust and the workpiece is pushed positively away. [0030] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0031] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. [0032] Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference. ## 5. Provenance and status [0033] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2022339798-A1, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000035452 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, plant vacuum fed, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035452 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one manifold, one pressure sensor, one contact detector and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves, starting the cycle at the moment of contact, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per manifold outlet. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has four outlets. [0006] One pressure sensor. The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured in the supply line. [0007] One contact detector. The contact detector reports the moment a workpiece is present at the gripping face; its sensing technology is not fixed by this arrangement. The contact detector is mounted on the gripping face. [0008] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a sustained blast. The blow-off pulse is given before set-down. [0009] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0011] The manifold inlet is connected to the plant vacuum connection, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0012] Each manifold outlet feeds one bellows cup by its own vacuum line, so that the four outlets feed four bellows cups. [0013] The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the plant vacuum connection and the distribution and reads the pressure of the whole circuit. [0014] The contact detector is mounted on the gripping face and reports the moment a workpiece is present against the gripping face. [0015] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0016] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0017] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0019] The blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor and the contact detector report to the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0020] - After the contact detector has detected the workpiece, the vacuum supply is actuated by the cell controller. [0021] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0022] - When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor. [0023] - The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip. [0024] - Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. [0025] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0026] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and the contact detector (on the gripping face) and commands the blow-off valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0027] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); outlets of the manifold: four (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); placement of the pressure sensor: in the supply line (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); placement of the contact detector: on the gripping face (sets where the presence of the workpiece is detected); duration of the blow-off valve: a sustained blast (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: before set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0028] The workpiece is released while it is still above the receiving surface and falls the remaining distance onto it. This sequence is for a workpiece and a receiving surface that tolerate that drop, for example a part released into a container or onto a conveyor; the drop height is set by the application and is not fixed here. [0029] The blow-off is a sustained blast: the valve stays open for the whole release so that the face is cleared of dust and the workpiece is pushed positively away. [0030] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0031] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. [0032] Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference. 5. Provenance and status [0033] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2022339798-A1, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000035452 Published 2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035452 { "abstract": "A bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one manifold, one pressure sensor, one contact detector and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. 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OT-2026-000035453

Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, two stage ejector, manifold pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:23:26 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035453
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Vacuum Sensors, Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256: 29a110f10133c1d8f9fe2b8aa8f184fc7315ad655c886474094a37b06aa522a2

Abstract

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

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a suction-cup vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

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

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

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

[0005]One manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has three outlets.

[0006]One pressure sensor. The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured at the manifold.

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

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

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

[0010]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0011]The manifold inlet is connected to the ejector outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold.

[0012]Each manifold outlet feeds one suction cup by its own vacuum line, so that the three outlets feed three suction cups.

[0013]The pressure sensor is tapped into the manifold body and reads the pressure common to every outlet.

[0014]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0015]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0016]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The blow-off valve is switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

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

[0020]

When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor.

[0021]

The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip.

[0022]

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

[0023]

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

[0024]The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the manifold) and commands the blow-off valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); outlets of the manifold: three (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); placement of the pressure sensor: at the manifold (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

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

[0027]Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain text Markdown Manifest Integrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000035453, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, two stage ejector, manifold pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:23:26 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035453.

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

Terms

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000035453" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, two stage ejector, manifold pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035453" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "sensors-controls-machine-vision/force-and-pressure-sensing/vacuum-sensors" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "discrete suction cup tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "manifold" - "pressure sensor" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "pressure sensing" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, two stage ejector, manifold pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one manifold, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a suction-cup vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per manifold outlet. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One manifold.** The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has three outlets. [0006] **One pressure sensor.** The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured at the manifold. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0011] The manifold inlet is connected to the ejector outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0012] Each manifold outlet feeds one suction cup by its own vacuum line, so that the three outlets feed three suction cups. [0013] The pressure sensor is tapped into the manifold body and reads the pressure common to every outlet. [0014] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0015] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0016] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The blow-off valve is switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor. - The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the manifold) and commands the blow-off valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); outlets of the manifold: three (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); placement of the pressure sensor: at the manifold (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000035453 Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, two stage ejector, manifold pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035453 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one manifold, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a suction-cup vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per manifold outlet. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has three outlets. [0006] One pressure sensor. The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured at the manifold. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0011] The manifold inlet is connected to the ejector outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0012] Each manifold outlet feeds one suction cup by its own vacuum line, so that the three outlets feed three suction cups. [0013] The pressure sensor is tapped into the manifold body and reads the pressure common to every outlet. [0014] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0015] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0016] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The blow-off valve is switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor. [0021] - The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the manifold) and commands the blow-off valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); outlets of the manifold: three (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); placement of the pressure sensor: at the manifold (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000035453 Published 2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035453 { "abstract": "A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one manifold, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035453", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "sensors-controls-machine-vision/force-and-pressure-sensing/vacuum-sensors", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 902 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16945, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3ca22807f9d79265c390dfebda906f47bf2fa71522413ecaaf15ee838f4936ca" }, { "bytes": 6772, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a081f2d7e7632f9a805ad922a158b3a41e6076c155725eb1795fdd8420d5bedb" }, { "bytes": 6453, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "29a110f10133c1d8f9fe2b8aa8f184fc7315ad655c886474094a37b06aa522a2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035453/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "discrete suction cup tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "manifold", "pressure sensor", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "pressure sensing" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000035453", "published_at": "2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, two stage ejector, manifold pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0ae76-a762-7d4a-b148-c3b46c47a97b" } OmI9izP4ShxeJ51LUZELBms/y1u2+x/EfuKWfqJCAHCv6Yuc6hetKUKThdg9JZXbgBBJ1j5fxC3mkuoVO+kCDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: OmI9izP4ShxeJ51LUZELBms/y1u2+x/EfuKWfqJCAHCv6Yuc6hetKUKThdg9JZXbgBBJ1j5fxC3mkuoVO+kCDg== {"files":[{"bytes":19358,"name":"index.html","sha256":"860fb14535ae8628a6de2ee126b496eca626206dc1bb3fb4299604f74d173176"},{"bytes":8704,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"794ad5a53a880d6806d01c0255c64f24dba1fdcf8b5fde36524f98994c5bc65e"},{"bytes":8374,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"43fb969af7f5b99f83b84d84e4e75e73978d2624f0360237e9eaa4cc88163211"},{"bytes":2820,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3f12ee93b8d4314e9108f08b211c751adf4f959d2867442f9259bafd6253b28e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"0b2985a01806e95bd12528e65a5aab4331e29f33e94b6cfe7e2cbeab74095fe4"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"93b3c0f9d738b2864d4e3d0046ccb7e1bba03584067d61d81307a772ec003d78"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000035454"} Four pad foam vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000035454

OT-2026-000035454

Four pad foam vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:23:26 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035454
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Vacuum Sensors, Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers
Document SHA-256: 43fb969af7f5b99f83b84d84e4e75e73978d2624f0360237e9eaa4cc88163211

Abstract

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

1. Purpose and arrangement

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

2. Components, construction and connections

[0003]Four foam pads. Each foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per manifold outlet. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]One manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has four outlets.

[0007]One pressure sensor. The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured in the supply line.

[0008]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0009]The foam pads are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0011]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0012]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0013]The manifold inlet is connected to the isolation valve outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold.

[0014]Each manifold outlet feeds one foam pad by its own vacuum line, so that the four outlets feed four foam pads.

[0015]The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the ejector and the distribution and reads the pressure of the whole circuit.

[0016]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0017]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0018]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0019]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0020]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0021]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0022]

When the foam pads reach the workpiece, the foam pads are evacuated by the ejector.

[0023]

When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor.

[0024]

The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip.

[0025]

After the vacuum level has exceeded the gripping threshold, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0026]

While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0027]

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

[0028]

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

[0029]The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0030]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pads: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pads: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; outlets of the manifold: four (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); placement of the pressure sensor: in the supply line (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0031]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0032]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0033]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

[0034]Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference.

5. Provenance and status

[0035]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain text Markdown Manifest Integrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000035454, “Four pad foam vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:23:26 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035454.

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

Terms

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000035454" title: "Four pad foam vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035454" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "sensors-controls-machine-vision/force-and-pressure-sensing/vacuum-sensors" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" keywords: - "foam area gripping tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "manifold" - "pressure sensor" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" --- # Four pad foam vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four foam pads, one ejector, one isolation valve, one manifold, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the foam pads reach the workpiece, the foam pads are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a foam-pad vacuum gripping tool: four foam pads carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four foam pads.** Each foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per manifold outlet. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **One manifold.** The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has four outlets. [0007] **One pressure sensor.** The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured in the supply line. [0008] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0009] The foam pads are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0011] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0012] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0013] The manifold inlet is connected to the isolation valve outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0014] Each manifold outlet feeds one foam pad by its own vacuum line, so that the four outlets feed four foam pads. [0015] The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the ejector and the distribution and reads the pressure of the whole circuit. [0016] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0017] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0018] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0019] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0020] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0021] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pads reach the workpiece, the foam pads are evacuated by the ejector. - When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor. - The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip. - After the vacuum level has exceeded the gripping threshold, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0029] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0030] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pads: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pads: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; outlets of the manifold: four (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); placement of the pressure sensor: in the supply line (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0031] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0032] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0033] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. [0034] Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference. ## 5. Provenance and status [0035] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000035454 Four pad foam vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035454 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four foam pads, one ejector, one isolation valve, one manifold, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the foam pads reach the workpiece, the foam pads are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a foam-pad vacuum gripping tool: four foam pads carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four foam pads. Each foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per manifold outlet. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] One manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has four outlets. [0007] One pressure sensor. The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured in the supply line. [0008] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0009] The foam pads are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0011] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0012] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0013] The manifold inlet is connected to the isolation valve outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0014] Each manifold outlet feeds one foam pad by its own vacuum line, so that the four outlets feed four foam pads. [0015] The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the ejector and the distribution and reads the pressure of the whole circuit. [0016] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0017] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0018] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0019] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0020] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0021] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0022] - When the foam pads reach the workpiece, the foam pads are evacuated by the ejector. [0023] - When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor. [0024] - The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip. [0025] - After the vacuum level has exceeded the gripping threshold, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0026] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0027] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0028] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0029] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0030] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pads: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pads: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; outlets of the manifold: four (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); placement of the pressure sensor: in the supply line (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0031] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0032] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0033] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. [0034] Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference. 5. Provenance and status [0035] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000035454 Published 2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035454 { "abstract": "A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four foam pads, one ejector, one isolation valve, one manifold, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the foam pads reach the workpiece, the foam pads are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035454", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "sensors-controls-machine-vision/force-and-pressure-sensing/vacuum-sensors", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 35, "words": 1208 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 19358, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "860fb14535ae8628a6de2ee126b496eca626206dc1bb3fb4299604f74d173176" }, { "bytes": 8704, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "794ad5a53a880d6806d01c0255c64f24dba1fdcf8b5fde36524f98994c5bc65e" }, { "bytes": 8374, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "43fb969af7f5b99f83b84d84e4e75e73978d2624f0360237e9eaa4cc88163211" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035454/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "foam area gripping tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "manifold", "pressure sensor", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000035454", "published_at": "2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four pad foam vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0ae76-a762-7dc6-9307-5520decaf19f" } aUn2nc3QPnULtF1U6EuBwxvnLNR2Kh/WWO9sDe7c38ADEf2OwE7dwQm7qISW+ZTwNXdVsCkRttlJvi0E5g3JAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: aUn2nc3QPnULtF1U6EuBwxvnLNR2Kh/WWO9sDe7c38ADEf2OwE7dwQm7qISW+ZTwNXdVsCkRttlJvi0E5g3JAw== {"files":[{"bytes":20232,"name":"index.html","sha256":"009d850988f500e9067c12faf48a8c6062f493cd0f784053d5c7e19c4df0fbe4"},{"bytes":9548,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"732f6b6943b2cf6a5dab2f23c6563e3388e88fb24b48b9c2730a41babf925d43"},{"bytes":9217,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"dc8837745f266e7de4a1f35d5d942134cb80577af3a2d831430d2ce8c54b7cc7"},{"bytes":2886,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"fe780041fb1fc4e6c492c4c4353b0ffb7f683150e52bc331b7735d96aa53fde2"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ab81b5c5e5d1d22a011fc97eef4fe56aa858bf02f1ce10e7d6a8fb2dab937aaa"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a2185228e794b4a842daf69d448b0fe0a45ea615e240e799243e9f584c7aae30"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000035455"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000035455

OT-2026-000035455

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:23:26 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035455
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Vacuum Sensors, Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers
Document SHA-256: dc8837745f266e7de4a1f35d5d942134cb80577af3a2d831430d2ce8c54b7cc7

Abstract

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

1. Purpose and arrangement

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

2. Components, construction and connections

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

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

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

[0007]One pressure sensor. The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured in the supply line.

[0008]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given before set-down.

[0009]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0013]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0014]The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the ejector and the distribution and reads the pressure of the whole circuit.

[0015]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0016]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0017]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0019]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0020]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0021]

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

[0022]

When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor.

[0023]

The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip.

[0024]

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

[0025]

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

[0026]

Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface.

[0027]

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

[0028]The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0029]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); placement of the pressure sensor: in the supply line (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: before set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0030]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0031]The workpiece is released while it is still above the receiving surface and falls the remaining distance onto it. This sequence is for a workpiece and a receiving surface that tolerate that drop, for example a part released into a container or onto a conveyor; the drop height is set by the application and is not fixed here.

[0032]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0033]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0034]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

[0035]Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference.

5. Provenance and status

[0036]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain text Markdown Manifest Integrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000035455, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:23:26 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035455.

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

Terms

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000035455" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035455" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "sensors-controls-machine-vision/force-and-pressure-sensing/vacuum-sensors" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "pressure sensor" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One pressure sensor.** The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured in the supply line. [0008] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given before set-down. [0009] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0013] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0014] The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the ejector and the distribution and reads the pressure of the whole circuit. [0015] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0016] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0017] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0019] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0020] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor. - The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0028] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0029] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); placement of the pressure sensor: in the supply line (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: before set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0030] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0031] The workpiece is released while it is still above the receiving surface and falls the remaining distance onto it. This sequence is for a workpiece and a receiving surface that tolerate that drop, for example a part released into a container or onto a conveyor; the drop height is set by the application and is not fixed here. [0032] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0033] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0034] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. [0035] Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference. ## 5. Provenance and status [0036] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000035455 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035455 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, verifying that the workpiece is held before the arm moves, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One pressure sensor. The pressure sensor taps the line it is placed in and reports the vacuum level in that line. The pressure is measured in the supply line. [0008] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given before set-down. [0009] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0013] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0014] The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the ejector and the distribution and reads the pressure of the whole circuit. [0015] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0016] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0017] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0019] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0020] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0021] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0022] - When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor. [0023] - The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip. [0024] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0025] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0026] - Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. [0027] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0028] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0029] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); placement of the pressure sensor: in the supply line (sets where in the circuit the reading is taken and what it describes); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: before set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0030] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0031] The workpiece is released while it is still above the receiving surface and falls the remaining distance onto it. This sequence is for a workpiece and a receiving surface that tolerate that drop, for example a part released into a container or onto a conveyor; the drop height is set by the application and is not fixed here. [0032] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0033] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0034] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. [0035] Vacuum levels are stated as gauge pressure below atmosphere. A stronger vacuum is a larger pressure difference below atmosphere, and the vacuum level 'exceeds the gripping threshold' when that difference is at least the threshold difference. 5. Provenance and status [0036] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000035455 Published 2026-09-17T08:23:26.834147Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035455 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. Before the workpiece reaches the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve while the workpiece is above the receiving surface. 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OT-2026-000035456

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four outlet manifold, plant vacuum fed, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:23:26 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000035456
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Position and Presence Sensing, Vacuum Sensors, Valves and Manifolds
Document SHA-256: 4c1fd3ce695f0b5ec51e03f654e370398679e9d104a6977d93950bd7b4198dee