Abstract: The disclosure relates to gripping units for handling devices of processing machines, e.g., for handling plate-shaped workpieces, including a plurality of vacuum cups that are provided on a main body and are arranged relative to one another to form at least one cup field, and at least one cup field can be subjected to negative pressure for handling the workpiece, wherein at least one holding unit is provided on the main body, the holding unit has at least one sealing element and surrounds at least one cup field, and has at least one actuation unit for applying a negative pressure for the at least one sealing element to act on the plate-shaped workpiece.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method/product for controlling a handling system, comprising performing one or more control cycles, each control cycle comprising receiving image data that represents an image of at least one portion of an item to be gripped, which image is captured by a detection device, determining a target gripping point on the item for the end effector, comprising analyzing the image data, generating control signals which cause the at least one robot to grip the item at the target gripping point by means of the end effector, wherein determining the target gripping point comprises analyzing the image data by two or more mutually independent gripping point determination algorithms, wherein each of said gripping point determination algorithms determines at least one gripping point candidate, and wherein the gripping point candidates determined by the two or more gripping point determination algorithms form a set Me of gripping point candidates.

Abstract: A method (for handling objects arranged in a work area) comprising carrying out a plurality of handling cycles one after the other, each handling cycle comprising capturing at least one image of the work area, determining, on the basis of the at least one image, at least one grip point candidate at which a corresponding object can be gripped with the end effector, wherein the determined grip point candidates form a set Me of grip point candidates, selecting a grip point candidate as the target grip point for the end effector, and performing a handling task comprising moving the end effector to the target grip point, wherein at least one subset Mes of the set Me is stored in a grip point memory, and at least one subset Mtes of the grip point candidates Mes stored in the grip point memory remains stored at least until the next handling cycle.

Abstract: A tube lifter comprising a lifting tube extending along a lifting tube longitudinal axis, an end effector and a coupling device, by way of the end effector being coupled to the lifting tube, wherein the coupling device has a lifting tube-side first coupling portion and an end effector-side second coupling portion, wherein one of the coupling portions has an insertion portion and the other coupling portion has a receiving portion for receiving the insertion portion, wherein the insertion portion and the receiving portion are designed such that the insertion portion can be inserted into the receiving portion in an insertion direction, and the end effector and the lifting tube can thereby be connected to one another, wherein the insertion portion can be inserted into the receiving portion in different rotary positions about an end effector rotation axis orthogonal to the insertion direction.

Abstract: A safety coupling for connecting an end effector to a manipulator, comprising a manipulator coupling portion for connecting the safety coupling to the manipulator, an end effector coupling portion for connecting the safety coupling to the end effector, a lowering device, which connects the manipulator coupling portion and the end effector coupling portion to one another in a way that the end effector coupling portion and an end effector optionally coupled to the end effector coupling portion can descend relative to the manipulator coupling portion, with control, in particular with automatic braking, as a result of gravity, and a securing device, which can assume a normal configuration and an emergency configuration, the securing device blocking the lowering device when the securing device is in the normal configuration and releasing the lowering device when the securing device is in the emergency configuration.

Abstract: An operating device for a tube lifter which comprises an end effector and a lifting tube, comprising a lifting tube port for fluidic connection to the tube interior of the lifting tube, an end effector coupling for coupling the end effector to the operating device, a valve device for controlling fluidic connections and an operating mechanism for actuating the valve device, wherein the valve device comprises a ventilation valve for ventilating the lifting tube port, wherein the ventilation valve has a valve flap, which is adjustable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the operating mechanism comprises a first operating element and a second operating element, wherein the first and the second operating element are mechanically coupled to the valve flap in such a way that, by actuating the first and/or the second operating element, an opening angle of the valve flap is adjustable.

Abstract: A handling device comprising an extending support, comprising a first projection element which is arranged on the support in a rotationally fixed and/or non-displaceable manner and extends in a first projection plane transversely to the support in a first projection direction, comprising a second projection element which is connected to the first projection element via a first joint so as to be pivotable in a second projection plane, comprising a third projection element which is connected to the second projection element via a second joint so as to be pivotable in a third projection plane, wherein, along the support axis, the first projection plane overlies the second projection plane and the second projection plane overlies the third projection plane, wherein the second projection element can be pivoted under the first projection element and the third projection element can be pivoted under the second projection element and the first projection element.

Abstract: A valve device comprising a valve housing with a flow channel having a fluid outflow side and a fluid inflow side, a leaf spring having a fastening portion and a free portion. The fastening portion is connected to the valve housing such that, in a closed configuration, the free portion bears against a valve seat and that, in order to bring about an open configuration, the free portion, from the closed configuration, can be elastically bent away from the valve seat, and an actuating device which is designed to transfer the leaf spring from the closed configuration to an open configuration against an elastic reset force of the leaf spring.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for gripping an object by a handling system, including a robot with at least one robot arm, a gripping device which is connected to the robot arm and has a pneumatically operated suction gripper having an elastically deformable contact portion for contact with an outer surface of the object to be gripped, an identifier for identifying the outer surface of the object to be gripped and a controller which interacts with the identifier and is designed to control the robot.

Abstract: The invention relates to a handling device for handling objects, including a base unit which extends overall in an elongate manner along a base axis from a first end to a second end, wherein a flange portion is arranged at the first end for fastening the handling device to a robot arm and wherein a pivot unit having a pivot portion is arranged at the second end, wherein the pivot portion is mounted so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis by a pivot joint, wherein the base unit has a pneumatic cylinder which is designed to pivot the pivot portion about the pivot axis, and including a couplable or coupled, pneumatically operated end effector for gripping an object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a connection system for connecting at least two plate-like elements, the connection system having a bolt, a nut that corresponds to the bolt and has a screwing channel which extends along a screwing axis and into which the bolt can be screwed, and a cage for receiving the nut, wherein the nut has a foot portion and a head portion adjoining the foot portion along the screwing axis, the foot portion projecting, at least in portions, beyond the head portion in a direction perpendicular to the screwing axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a suction device (12) comprising a valve housing (18), a flexible partition wall (28) which runs in such a way that a control space (30) extends on one side and an intake side (21) lies on the other side, wherein the control space (30) is connected to the intake side (21) via a throttle passage (38), wherein the throttle passage (38) is formed in such a way that a flow resistance for flows is defined by the throttle passage (38) in such a way that, in the case of free suction, a negative pressure in relation to the intake side occurs in the control space (30) on account of the flow resistance.

Abstract: An operating device for a handling device, with a gripping section and a coupling for a gripping device, with at least a part of the coupling being at or in the gripping section, so that it is rotatable about an axis of rotation, with a reading device for reading out an information carrier with coded data being placed on the side of the griping section facing the coupling, where the reading device is designed to read out an information carrier of a gripping device coupled to the coupling regardless of the rotational position of the coupling.

Abstract: A valve device comprising a valve housing with a flow channel having a fluid outflow side and a fluid inflow side, a leaf spring having a fastening portion and a free portion. The fastening portion is connected to the valve housing such that, in a closed configuration, the free portion bears against a valve seat and that, in order to bring about an open configuration, the free portion, from the closed configuration, can be elastically bent away from the valve seat, and an actuating device which is designed to transfer the leaf spring from the closed configuration to an open configuration against an elastic reset force of the leaf spring.

Abstract: A handling device comprising an extending support, comprising a first projection element which is arranged on the support in a rotationally fixed and/or non-displaceable manner and extends in a first projection plane transversely to the support in a first projection direction, comprising a second projection element which is connected to the first projection element via a first joint so as to be pivotable in a second projection plane, comprising a third projection element which is connected to the second projection element via a second joint so as to be pivotable in a third projection plane, wherein, along the support axis, the first projection plane overlies the second projection plane and the second projection plane overlies the third projection plane, wherein the second projection element can be pivoted under the first projection element and the third projection element can be pivoted under the second projection element and the first projection element.

Abstract: A support frame for a handling device comprising a base body and at least two structural elements extending away from the base body, at least two structural elements being constructed similarly to each other in that they have at east the following common characteristics: a radial beam which is elongated and has a first end and a second end, the second end having a connecting section for connection to a pneumatically actuatable gripping element, a lattice wing which is integrally connected with the radial beam and runs between the first end of the radial beam and the second end of the radial beam, the lattice wing extending flatly away from the radial beam, wherein for each of the at least two structural elements the first end of the radial beam is integrally connected with the base body in a manner that the radial beam extends away from the base body.

Abstract: The invention relates to a connection system for connecting at least two plate-like elements, the connection system having a bolt, a nut that corresponds to the bolt and has a screwing channel which extends along a screwing axis and into which the bolt can be screwed, and a cage for receiving the nut, wherein the nut has a foot portion and a head portion adjoining the foot portion along the screwing axis, the foot portion projecting, at least in portions, beyond the head portion in a direction perpendicular to the screwing axis.

Abstract: A loading and unloading device for a machine, a machine for machining panel-like workpieces, and a workpiece support for such a machine and a method for loading and unloading such a machine, having a loading and unloading module, wherein the loading and unloading module has a vertically upwardly oriented raising device for lifting a cut-free workpiece part and a vertically downwardly oriented gripping device (38) for holding an unmachined, panel-like workpiece.

Abstract: The invention relates to a human-robot collaboration system including a robot having at least one manipulator, the at least one manipulator having an in particular terminal end portion, the HRC system includes a coupling device connected to the end portion of the at least one manipulator and at least one hand connection, it being possible to connect the at least one hand connection in a force-coupled manner to the end portion via the coupling device.

Abstract: The invention is a holding device for a suction gripper or for another interface member on a base of a vacuum handling apparatus, wherein the holding device is designed for detachable and preferably tool-free attachment of the suction gripper to the base and has a first direction and a second direction orthogonal thereto.