OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION
OT-2026-000001844

Apparatus and method for gripping, lifting and inverting foam sheet

Published: 2026-09-15T19:09:00.606058Z
Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000001844
Categories: Material Handling > Conveying Systems

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ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for inverting a flexible foam sheet being conveyed on
a moving conveyer grips the leading edge of the foam sheet with a clamp and
raises the clamp above the moving conveyor surface. As the leading edge is
held by the clamp, the foam sheet progressively separates from the moving
conveyor surface and is curled back over itself until the trailing edge of the
foam sheet passes beyond the clamp and the foam sheet is inverted. Upon
releasing the clamp, the inverted foam sheet is deposited onto the moving
conveyor, now with the former leading edge comprising the trailing edge. In an
embodiment, the foam sheet comprises two profiled layers nested together, and
the clamp lifts the leading edge of the top profiled layer to separate and
invert such top layer from the bottom layer, depositing the inverted top layer
onto the conveyor behind the bottom layer.

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OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000001844
Published 2026-09-15T19:09:00.606058Z
https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000001844