Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

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OT-2026-000031601

Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031601
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256: 1993fec68973a156e8f9a72344363e6f562291c896dc9c3bec1146ce17fdc468

Abstract

A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, one manifold and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. 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 a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum 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 plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[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 three outlets.

[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 isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The manifold inlet is connected to the isolation valve 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 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.

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

[0015]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

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

[0018]

After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

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

[0020]

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

[0021]

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

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]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); 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: three (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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).

[0024]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.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]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-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-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-2026-000031601, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031601.

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-2026-000031601" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031601" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "discrete suction cup tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "manifold" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, one manifold and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. 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 a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum 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 plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [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 three outlets. [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 isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The manifold inlet is connected to the isolation valve 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 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. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, 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. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] 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); 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: three (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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). [0024] 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. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] 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-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-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-2026-000031601 Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031601 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, one manifold and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. 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 a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum 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 plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [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 three outlets. [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 isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The manifold inlet is connected to the isolation valve 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 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. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] 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); 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: three (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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). [0024] 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. 5. Provenance and status [0025] 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-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-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-2026-000031601 Published 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031601 { "abstract": "A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, one manifold and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. 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-2026-000031601", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 835 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16425, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b069b438c913ad0b973823c9572b5695d6055716fc062b190a97644fdc4bb547" }, { "bytes": 6400, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "cb1b741e43349e3f5c67a70d3647e41f6a6e82496653d57af33fecbac046c91c" }, { "bytes": 6065, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1993fec68973a156e8f9a72344363e6f562291c896dc9c3bec1146ce17fdc468" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031601/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "discrete suction cup tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "manifold", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000031601", "published_at": "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0ae74-bacf-7355-8d09-e07f66b43809" } ipkwJivumUvd4zuvgBVVyhbmT1LgplNphpTi33ONlM4gT961WSoUGeAuIjlawtumcrnNp3I6hQKkn+2wFp2MDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ipkwJivumUvd4zuvgBVVyhbmT1LgplNphpTi33ONlM4gT961WSoUGeAuIjlawtumcrnNp3I6hQKkn+2wFp2MDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16343,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f0260940158b0887baa0ba89469e86048bcea45c94f4433aaa25721daf53f9c6"},{"bytes":6391,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b624d7b694f32ef46c388b34bb4c8a1557e3459b80d2ee7cb0313659974ce09d"},{"bytes":6092,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2aef13cf6688682803e1d04d355646aaf2d91ebeb2994eeba466a50f0f99ce1b"},{"bytes":2717,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0330ef1c8fed8ac47e49b4846a8c646ce6473ec5588d31f4ba62679b1b4a5921"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"36719c23a2f3c3a2aab8305b8b1937f7f7ea308153f30fc4fd9ffd13125dbd0b"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0b0e2e7cbb79c9bf2422965ea3f6daebd66adba075610efb093aa1366e8a5d12"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000031602"} Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000031602

OT-2026-000031602

Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031602
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256: 2aef13cf6688682803e1d04d355646aaf2d91ebeb2994eeba466a50f0f99ce1b

Abstract

A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, six foam pads, one ejector, one manifold 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: six foam pads carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for 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 mechanical lock.

[0003]Six 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 six 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 manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has six outlets.

[0006]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.

[0007]The foam pads are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0008]The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

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

[0010]The manifold inlet is connected to the ejector outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold.

[0011]Each manifold outlet feeds one foam pad by its own vacuum line, so that the six outlets feed six foam pads.

[0012]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.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

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

[0018]

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

[0019]

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

[0020]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0021]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (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); outlets of the manifold: six (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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).

[0022]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.

[0023]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.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]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-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-2026-000031602, “Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031602.

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

Terms

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000031602" title: "Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031602" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "foam area gripping tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "manifold" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" - "tool changing" --- # Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, six foam pads, one ejector, one manifold 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: six foam pads carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for 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 mechanical lock. [0003] **Six 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 six 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 manifold.** The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has six outlets. [0006] **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. [0007] The foam pads are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0008] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The manifold inlet is connected to the ejector outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0011] Each manifold outlet feeds one foam pad by its own vacuum line, so that the six outlets feed six foam pads. [0012] 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. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - 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 workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0020] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0021] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (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); outlets of the manifold: six (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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). [0022] 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. [0023] 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. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] 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-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-2026-000031602 Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031602 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, six foam pads, one ejector, one manifold 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: six foam pads carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for 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 mechanical lock. [0003] Six 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 six 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 manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has six outlets. [0006] 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. [0007] The foam pads are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0008] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The manifold inlet is connected to the ejector outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0011] Each manifold outlet feeds one foam pad by its own vacuum line, so that the six outlets feed six foam pads. [0012] 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. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pads reach the workpiece, the foam pads are evacuated by the ejector. [0018] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0019] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0020] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0021] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (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); outlets of the manifold: six (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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). [0022] 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. [0023] 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. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] 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-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-2026-000031602 Published 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031602 { "abstract": "A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, six foam pads, one ejector, one manifold 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-2026-000031602", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 852 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16343, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f0260940158b0887baa0ba89469e86048bcea45c94f4433aaa25721daf53f9c6" }, { "bytes": 6391, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b624d7b694f32ef46c388b34bb4c8a1557e3459b80d2ee7cb0313659974ce09d" }, { "bytes": 6092, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2aef13cf6688682803e1d04d355646aaf2d91ebeb2994eeba466a50f0f99ce1b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031602/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", "manifold", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control", "tool changing" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000031602", "published_at": "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0ae74-bacf-79a9-9124-100f2b85ab95" } 4vbN8w01Nl9joLV5dQMAIjp+kBqv9dWCVmCwcuwOx52GCUY+B7mkLkJQe9orgzhHZ9+9fVTO0AdtSUWUIm/bDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 4vbN8w01Nl9joLV5dQMAIjp+kBqv9dWCVmCwcuwOx52GCUY+B7mkLkJQe9orgzhHZ9+9fVTO0AdtSUWUIm/bDw== {"files":[{"bytes":18558,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a979e612c93a50a2c00eaf36d4b0c97f755fad732858dd7633281bba10ac1e85"},{"bytes":8211,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"6120c727207dd0b97b72868b171afe0d9b9ff8d9a84f5959ebf7f88781b8d382"},{"bytes":7907,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"184835fba192ef2fd668a1679a1bf7958839d7a5228ca864e027ab55a85f1f14"},{"bytes":2827,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f9304d8d748cd84027f87b438900a9e42af51c1c12ea70250662fe142b15ad5c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8f83cc9efb340f96fb01c7bde768f64d570df47ac0cc401484bc513dcbef4b80"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c0338c4ca7702bcf1a132ec6592dfac1ddb1e448597a769ac8525f2fde9a269e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000031603"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, four outlet manifold, pump fed, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000031603

OT-2026-000031603

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, four outlet manifold, pump fed, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031603
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Position and Presence Sensing, Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers
Document SHA-256: 184835fba192ef2fd668a1679a1bf7958839d7a5228ca864e027ab55a85f1f14

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one manifold, two zone branches, one contact detector and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. 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: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, 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

[0003]Two 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 two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

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

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

[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 frame.

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

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

[0012]The manifold inlet is connected to the pump inlet line, which supplies every outlet of the manifold.

[0013]Each of the two zone branches is taken from its own manifold outlet, so that the branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0014]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0015]The contact detector is mounted on the frame and reports the moment a workpiece is present against the gripping face.

[0016]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, 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 pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0019]The remaining two manifold outlets are plugged and carry no line.

[0020]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0021]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0022]The blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the contact detector reports to the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0023]

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

[0024]

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

[0025]

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.

[0026]

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

[0027]The cell controller reads the contact detector (on the frame) and commands the blow-off valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0028]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); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); outlets of the manifold: four (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); placement of the contact detector: on the frame (sets where the presence of the workpiece is detected); 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).

[0029]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.

[0030]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.

[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.

5. Provenance and status

[0032]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-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2022339798-A1, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000031603, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, four outlet manifold, pump fed, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031603.

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

Terms

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000031603" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, four outlet manifold, pump fed, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031603" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "sensors-controls-machine-vision/position-and-presence-sensing" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "manifold" - "zone branch" - "contact detector" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, four outlet manifold, pump fed, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one manifold, two zone branches, one contact detector and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. 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: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, 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] **Two 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 two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One manifold.** The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has four outlets. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [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 frame. [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 manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0011] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0012] The manifold inlet is connected to the pump inlet line, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0013] Each of the two zone branches is taken from its own manifold outlet, so that the branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0014] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0015] The contact detector is mounted on the frame and reports the moment a workpiece is present against the gripping face. [0016] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, 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 pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0019] The remaining two manifold outlets are plugged and carry no line. [0020] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0021] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0022] The blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the contact detector reports 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 vacuum pump. - 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. [0027] The cell controller reads the contact detector (on the frame) and commands the blow-off valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0028] 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); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); outlets of the manifold: four (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); placement of the contact detector: on the frame (sets where the presence of the workpiece is detected); 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). [0029] 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. [0030] 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. [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. ## 5. Provenance and status [0032] 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-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2022339798-A1, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000031603 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, four outlet manifold, pump fed, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031603 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one manifold, two zone branches, one contact detector and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. 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: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, 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] Two 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 two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has four outlets. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [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 frame. [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 manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0011] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0012] The manifold inlet is connected to the pump inlet line, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0013] Each of the two zone branches is taken from its own manifold outlet, so that the branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0014] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0015] The contact detector is mounted on the frame and reports the moment a workpiece is present against the gripping face. [0016] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, 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 pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0019] The remaining two manifold outlets are plugged and carry no line. [0020] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0021] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0022] The blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller; the contact detector reports to the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0023] - After the contact detector has detected the workpiece, the vacuum supply is actuated by the cell controller. [0024] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0025] - 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. [0026] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0027] The cell controller reads the contact detector (on the frame) and commands the blow-off valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0028] 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); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); outlets of the manifold: four (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); placement of the contact detector: on the frame (sets where the presence of the workpiece is detected); 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). [0029] 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. [0030] 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. [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. 5. Provenance and status [0032] 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-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2022339798-A1, US-8006968-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000031603 Published 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031603 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one manifold, two zone branches, one contact detector and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. 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.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031603", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "sensors-controls-machine-vision/position-and-presence-sensing", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 32, "words": 1143 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18558, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a979e612c93a50a2c00eaf36d4b0c97f755fad732858dd7633281bba10ac1e85" }, { "bytes": 8211, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "6120c727207dd0b97b72868b171afe0d9b9ff8d9a84f5959ebf7f88781b8d382" }, { "bytes": 7907, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "184835fba192ef2fd668a1679a1bf7958839d7a5228ca864e027ab55a85f1f14" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031603/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "manifold", "zone branch", "contact detector", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000031603", "published_at": "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, four outlet manifold, pump fed, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0ae74-bacf-7806-9073-e28948c30ab9" } Dj0cyY1L+E/y7VVBmIrmtB/x7xx1t/ZYHWXb6Vmjy1OElXFMA0LKjMZ1hXba6xTrZ2vjewnndYzWiH2A658PDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Dj0cyY1L+E/y7VVBmIrmtB/x7xx1t/ZYHWXb6Vmjy1OElXFMA0LKjMZ1hXba6xTrZ2vjewnndYzWiH2A658PDg== {"files":[{"bytes":18132,"name":"index.html","sha256":"596ed72218c6801cb57e8fa4b7cd1ecf45f085b3e746eb73d7fb804e48c756da"},{"bytes":7776,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9b3f9af0ef33028395fdac454ad7c1121434303b2cdb91ad57d1febb80b650d2"},{"bytes":7444,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"45669fd9058768bb45aa844664428bad2fecb229104590cbb21a24ac59825c55"},{"bytes":2863,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"701286dcbd9398bdd8f39c1a6cdf4fa91b38f23eadeac397b9e0a56261d28e16"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"84312a2b7ee10c0ef70a8480fe2427ea6cd98ae978f6e8279561d64b3f0b3a7d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5a1da8c0aa83f5ba77b59e486591b2c86a3609dd88ac88577d6a1a323c6218ca"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000031604"} Single bellows cup vacuum gripper, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000031604

OT-2026-000031604

Single bellows cup vacuum gripper, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031604
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Vacuum Sensors, Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256: 45669fd9058768bb45aa844664428bad2fecb229104590cbb21a24ac59825c55

Abstract

A bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one bellows cup, one ejector, one isolation valve, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cup reaches the workpiece, the bellows cup is 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 bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool: one bellows cup carried on a mounting flange, 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 and taking up height differences at the face. 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]One bellows cup. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[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 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 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.

[0008]The bellows cup is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

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

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The bellows cup is connected to the isolation valve outlet by a single vacuum line, so that the face is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the ejector and the bellows cup and reads the pressure of the whole circuit.

[0013]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.

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

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

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

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

When the bellows cup reaches the workpiece, the bellows cup is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

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

[0020]

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

[0021]

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

[0022]

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

[0023]

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.

[0024]

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

[0025]The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0026]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cup: 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 cup: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (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; 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 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).

[0027]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.

[0028]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.

[0029]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

[0030]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-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, 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-2026-000031604, “Single bellows cup vacuum gripper, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031604.

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

Terms

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000031604" title: "Single bellows cup vacuum gripper, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031604" 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: - "bellows compliant vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "pressure sensor" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Single bellows cup vacuum gripper, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down ## Abstract A bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one bellows cup, one ejector, one isolation valve, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cup reaches the workpiece, the bellows cup is 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 bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool: one bellows cup carried on a mounting flange, 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 and taking up height differences at the face. 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] **One bellows cup.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. Each bellows cup has one fold. [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 one stage. [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 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 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. [0008] The bellows cup is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The bellows cup is connected to the isolation valve outlet by a single vacuum line, so that the face is evacuated through that line. [0012] The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the ejector and the bellows cup and reads the pressure of the whole circuit. [0013] 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. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cup reaches the workpiece, the bellows cup is 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. - 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. [0025] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0026] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cup: 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 cup: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (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; 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 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). [0027] 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. [0028] 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. [0029] 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 [0030] 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-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, 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-2026-000031604 Single bellows cup vacuum gripper, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, supply line pressure sensor, sustained blow-off before set-down Published: 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031604 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one bellows cup, one ejector, one isolation valve, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cup reaches the workpiece, the bellows cup is 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 bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool: one bellows cup carried on a mounting flange, 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 and taking up height differences at the face. 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] One bellows cup. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. Each bellows cup has one fold. [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 one stage. [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 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 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. [0008] The bellows cup is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The bellows cup is connected to the isolation valve outlet by a single vacuum line, so that the face is evacuated through that line. [0012] The pressure sensor is tapped into the line between the ejector and the bellows cup and reads the pressure of the whole circuit. [0013] 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. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller; the pressure sensor reports to the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cup reaches the workpiece, the bellows cup is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When the vacuum level exceeds the gripping threshold, a secure grip is signalled by the pressure sensor. [0020] - The workpiece may not be lifted unless the pressure sensor signals a secure grip. [0021] - After the vacuum level has exceeded the gripping threshold, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0022] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0023] - 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. [0024] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0025] The cell controller reads the pressure sensor (the common supply line) and commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0026] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cup: 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 cup: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (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; 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 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). [0027] 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. [0028] 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. [0029] 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 [0030] 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-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, 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-2026-000031604 Published 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031604 { "abstract": "A bellows-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one bellows cup, one ejector, one isolation valve, one pressure sensor and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cup reaches the workpiece, the bellows cup is 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-2026-000031605

Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031605
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256: 6141ebd344c4e1c72225746d4b0df283d3e03f180cc754db95676dc62f16753c

Abstract

A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, one manifold and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. 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 tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release 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

[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 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 three outlets.

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

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

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The manifold inlet is connected to the isolation valve 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 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.

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

[0015]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

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

[0019]

After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

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

[0021]

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

[0022]

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

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

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]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); 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); 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: three (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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).

[0025]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.

[0026]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.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]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-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-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-2026-000031605, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031605.

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

Terms

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000031605" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031605" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "discrete suction cup tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "manifold" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, one manifold and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. 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 tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release 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 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 plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [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 three outlets. [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 tool-change interface. [0009] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The manifold inlet is connected to the isolation valve 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 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. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, 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. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] 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); 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); 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: three (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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). [0025] 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. [0026] 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. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] 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-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-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-2026-000031605 Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031605 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, one manifold and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. 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 tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release 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 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 plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [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 three outlets. [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 tool-change interface. [0009] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The manifold inlet is connected to the isolation valve 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 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. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] 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); 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); 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: three (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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). [0025] 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. [0026] 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. 5. Provenance and status [0027] 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-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-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-2026-000031605 Published 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031605 { "abstract": "A suction-cup vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, one manifold and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. 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-2026-000031605", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 940 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17223, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "349dd5d1e95213e7efa50fdd86b64c01ba1a33f0065492c080a8ba9a7b152ef4" }, { "bytes": 7088, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "63659966b6b9089b03b38e97fec01acd4fbe98fdd41d149df8037d23a0cc1694" }, { "bytes": 6750, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6141ebd344c4e1c72225746d4b0df283d3e03f180cc754db95676dc62f16753c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031605/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "discrete suction cup tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "manifold", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000031605", "published_at": "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three outlet manifold, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0ae74-bacf-73de-aaeb-a8d167174ec4" } IetWAhKhsgtSYDNOk9kAh8T8ScSJlg3c1BsarHCLnt0xacC1YiStDnkrORcSARMl7jQfnnUpDXv7J7DDtIxVCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: IetWAhKhsgtSYDNOk9kAh8T8ScSJlg3c1BsarHCLnt0xacC1YiStDnkrORcSARMl7jQfnnUpDXv7J7DDtIxVCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":15854,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1663a2a184f9308e2027f57d02c8af0ecf1aa37cae9b56d94c2f71cae3e0e8d5"},{"bytes":5958,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"eda4d9cf05dff9e3b851cfd26a9366e38b077dc2f7bb9c4e442aa58eeb8cca53"},{"bytes":5667,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d17ac489de3110af5aaa2e9e637262af19903b8cc468fa7895e17f832d706498"},{"bytes":2703,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f17941c44fc0dc7f652e9336caf307b089380b9200b3200a3db15beb0146e0c3"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6a9a7ff276a5c8689e0d01b9dc1262230c7ac7225dee807570be1478f52ca704"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"482c6f3fb3d22b69adc651cebc20e1a0572de5e9ec7d168236aba59b80fa7b21"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000031606"} Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000031606

OT-2026-000031606

Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031606
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256: d17ac489de3110af5aaa2e9e637262af19903b8cc468fa7895e17f832d706498

Abstract

A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, six foam pads, one ejector, one manifold 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: six foam pads carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. 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.

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

[0007]The foam pads are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0008]The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

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

[0010]The manifold inlet is connected to the ejector outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold.

[0011]Each manifold outlet feeds one foam pad by its own vacuum line, so that the six outlets feed six foam pads.

[0012]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.

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

[0014]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

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

[0018]

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

[0019]

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

[0020]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0021]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pads: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pads: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); outlets of the manifold: six (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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).

[0022]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.

[0023]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]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-10549431-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-2026-000031606, “Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031606.

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

Terms

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000031606" title: "Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031606" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "foam area gripping tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "manifold" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" - "vacuum" --- # Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, six foam pads, one ejector, one manifold 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: six foam pads carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. 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] **Six 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 six follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per manifold outlet. The pad is of open 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 three stages. [0005] **One manifold.** The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has six outlets. [0006] **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. [0007] The foam pads are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0008] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The manifold inlet is connected to the ejector outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0011] Each manifold outlet feeds one foam pad by its own vacuum line, so that the six outlets feed six foam pads. [0012] 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. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - 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 workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0020] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0021] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pads: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pads: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); outlets of the manifold: six (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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). [0022] 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. [0023] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] 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-10549431-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-2026-000031606 Six pad foam vacuum gripper, six outlet manifold, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031606 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, six foam pads, one ejector, one manifold 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: six foam pads carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. 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] Six 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 six follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per manifold outlet. The pad is of open 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 three stages. [0005] One manifold. The manifold receives the vacuum at one inlet and distributes it to its outlets. The manifold has six outlets. [0006] 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. [0007] The foam pads are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0008] The manifold is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The manifold inlet is connected to the ejector outlet, which supplies every outlet of the manifold. [0011] Each manifold outlet feeds one foam pad by its own vacuum line, so that the six outlets feed six foam pads. [0012] 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. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pads reach the workpiece, the foam pads are evacuated by the ejector. [0018] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0019] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0020] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0021] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pads: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pads: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); outlets of the manifold: six (sets how many lines can be fed from one inlet); 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). [0022] 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. [0023] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0024] 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-10549431-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-2026-000031606 Published 2026-09-17T08:21:20.739935Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031606 { "abstract": "A foam-pad vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, six foam pads, one ejector, one manifold 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. 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OT-2026-000031607

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, four outlet manifold, pump fed, pulsed blow-off before set-down, on a tool changer

Published: September 17, 2026 at 08:21:20 UTC
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000031607
Classification: Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in: Position and Presence Sensing, Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers
Document SHA-256: dab744134e152c8aaa4d32de6c274faf559874458c483a5b0535e7d1782552a5