Electric suction cup
View Patent ↗A suction cup assembly has a housing with an actuator in the housing. A flexible cup is coupled with the housing. The actuator movement causes the flexible cup to move between at least two positions. In a first position, the flexible cup moves into an increased volume position. In a second position, the flexible cup moves into at least a neutral volume position. In the increased volume position, the flexible cup seals with a surface. In the neutral volume position, the flexible cup releases from the surface.
1. A suction cup assembly comprising:
a housing including a wall;
an actuator in said housing;
a flexible cup including a mechanism receiving the housing wall, the flexible cup hermetically sealed with the housing, and the flexible cup including a wall portion coupling with a mounting portion of the actuator, the actuator mounting portion is coupled with the wall portion of the flexible cup, the actuator moves between at least two positions, in a first position, the actuator moves the flexible cup to increase volume inside the flexible cup, wherein the flexible cup, due to a decrease in pressure inside the flexible cup, seals with a surface, in a second position, the actuator moves the flexible cup into at least a neutral volume position returning the inside of the flexible cup to a neutral position, wherein the flexible cup releases from the surface.
2. The suction cup assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible cup includes a lip for engaging the surface.
3. The suction cup assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is an electric or closed pneumatic system.
4. The suction cup assembly of claim 3 , wherein the actuator is a solenoid or a servo motor.
5. The suction cup assembly of claim 4 , wherein the actuator is a magnetically latched solenoid.
6. The suction cup assembly of claim 3 , wherein the actuator is a three position solenoid with a solenoid armature coupled with the suction cup or a servo motor with a thread shaft having three preprogrammed positions.
7. The suction cup assembly of claim 3 , wherein the actuator is a double acting pneumatic cylinder, a pancake double acting pneumatic cylinder, a spring return pancake pneumatic cylinder, or a pneumatic rotary actuator.
8. The suction cup assembly of claim 3 , wherein the actuator includes a mechanism providing a direct pull on the flexible cup moving it between positions.
9. The suction cup assembly of claim 3 , wherein the flexible cup includes a lever, the lever is moved by the actuator.
10. The suction cup assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible cup includes a deformable flexible wall enabling movement between the positions.
11. An electrical suction cup assembly comprising:
a housing including a wall;
an electrical actuator in said housing;
a flexible cup including a mechanism receiving the housing wall, and coupling the flexible cup with said housing, the flexible cup including a wall portion coupling with a mounting portion of the electrical actuator, the cup being engagable with a surface, the electrical actuator coupled with the cup wall portion wherein the actuator movement causes the flexible cup to move between at least two positions, in a first position, the electric actuator moves the flexible cup to increase volume inside the flexible cup, wherein the flexible cup, due to a decrease in pressure inside the flexible cup, seals with the surface, in a second position, the electric actuator moves the flexible cup into at least a neutral volume position returning the inside of the flexible cup to a neutral position, wherein the flexible cup releases from the surface.
12. The electrical suction cup assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flexible cup is sealed to the housing.
13. The electrical suction cup assembly of claim 11 , wherein the actuator is a solenoid or servo motor coupled with the flexible cup.
14. The electrical suction cup assembly of claim 11 , wherein a lever extends from the cup and the actuator is coupled with the lever.
15. The electrical suction cup assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flexible cup further comprises a flexible wall enabling the cup to move between the positions.
16. The electrical suction cup assembly of claim 15 , wherein the actuator is coupled with the flexible wall.
17. The electrical suction cup assembly of claim 11 , wherein the suction cup moves to a third position, in the third position the suction cup is in a negative volume position wherein the suction cup forces the surface from the suction cup.
18. The suction cup assembly of claim 17 , wherein the actuator is a three position solenoid with a solenoid armature coupled with the suction cup or a servo motor with a thread shaft having three preprogrammed positions.