IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,728,544
Granted Patent B2
US 12,728,544 · App. 18/797,153 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Handling system comprising tube lifter and manipulator with gearbox

Inventors: Matthias Frey (Sulz-Dürrenmettstetten, DE); Nico Bläse (Horb, DE)
Assignee: J.SCHMALZ GMBH
B25J15/0019B25J15/0213B25J15/0608B25J15/0616
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,728,544
App. No.
18/797,153
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A handling system includes a tube lifter with a lifting tube having a tube interior, and an end effector mounted on the lifting tube and rotatable about an end effector axis of rotation, a manipulator for displacing the end effector, and a coupling device for coupling the tube lifter to the manipulator. The coupling device has a first tube lifter coupling portion and a second manipulator coupling portion, the coupling portions can be connected to one another by a connecting device. The manipulator has a driven rotary element rotatable about a manipulator axis of rotation. The coupling device includes a gearbox configured to translate a rotary movement of the rotary element about the manipulator axis of rotation into a rotary movement of the end effector about the end effector axis of rotation in the connected state of the first and second coupling portions.

Claims (24)

1 . A handling system, comprising:

a tube lifter with a lifting tube which has a tube interior and with an end effector, which is mounted on the lifting tube so as to be rotatable about an end effector axis of rotation, wherein the lifting tube is attached to a support or a building ceiling at an end facing away from the end effector;

a manipulator for displacing the end effector;

a coupling device for coupling the tube lifter to the manipulator, wherein the coupling device has a first coupling portion on the tube lifter side and a second coupling portion on the manipulator side, wherein the first and the second coupling portions can be connected to one another by a connecting device;

wherein the manipulator has a driven rotary element which is rotatable about a manipulator axis of rotation, wherein the coupling device comprises a gearbox which configured to translate a rotary movement of the rotary element about the manipulator axis of rotation into a rotary movement of the end effector about the end effector axis of rotation in the connected state of the first and second coupling portions, wherein the gearbox is configured such that a rotational movement of the end effector about the end effector axis of rotation is decoupled from a movement of the first and second coupling portions.

2 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the manipulator is configured as a robot with a robot arm and a robot wrist, wherein the rotary element is driven by a robot axis of rotation of the robot wrist.

3 . The handling system according to claim 1 , the gearbox comprising:

an end-effector-side first gearbox element which is coupled to the end effector so that it cannot rotate about the end effector axis of rotation,

and a manipulator-side second gearbox element which is driven via the rotary element of the manipulator,

wherein the first gearbox element and the second gearbox element are in engagement with one another in the connected state of the first and second coupling portions.

4 . The handling system according to claim 3 , the gearbox further comprising a manipulator-side third transmission element which is coupled to the rotary element in a rotationally fixed manner and is in engagement with the second transmission element such that the second transmission element can be driven by the third transmission element.

5 . The handling system according to claim 3 , wherein the first gearbox element has a longitudinal extension along the end effector axis of rotation such that the second gearbox element in engagement is displaceable axially along the end effector axis of rotation relative to the first gearbox element.

6 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the first coupling portion is axially displaceable relative to the lifting tube along the end effector axis of rotation.

7 . The handling system according to claim 6 , wherein the tube lifter has a valve device for controlling flow connections wherein the first coupling portion cooperates with the valve device in such a way that the valve device can be actuated, in particular controllably, by moving the first coupling portion along the end effector axis of rotation.

8 . The handling system according to claim 7 , wherein the valve device has a lifting tube ventilation valve for ventilating the tube interior, wherein the first coupling portion interacts with the lifting tube ventilation valve in such a way that, by displacing the first coupling portion along the end effector axis of rotation, a ventilation position of the lifting tube ventilation valve can be changed.

9 . The handling system according to claim 7 , wherein the first coupling portion is coupled to the valve device via a control lever, wherein the control lever is mounted on the lifting tube so as to be pivotable about a control lever pivot axis, wherein the control lever has an actuating portion which interacts with the valve device in such a way that the valve device can be actuated by pivoting the control lever about the control lever pivot axis, wherein the control lever can be pivoted about the control lever pivot axis by axial displacement of the first coupling portion along the end effector axis of rotation.

10 . The handling system according to claim 9 , wherein the control lever has a control curve wherein at least one control element is provided on the first coupling portion, which element engages in the control curve, wherein a pivot position of the control lever about the control lever pivot axis, and therefore a valve position of the valve device is adjustable depending on a position of the control element along the control curve.

11 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the end effector is connected to the lifting tube via a connecting rod, wherein the connecting rod is connected to the end effector at a first end in a rotationally fixed manner and is connected to the lifting tube at a second end so as to be rotatable about the end effector axis of rotation, wherein the first coupling portion is arranged between the first end and the second end of the connecting rod.

12 . The handling system according to claim 11 , wherein the first coupling portion surrounds the connecting rod in such a way that the connecting rod and the first coupling portion can be displaced relative to one another both translationally along the end effector axis of rotation and rotationally about the end effector axis of rotation.

13 . The handling system according to claim 11 , the gearbox comprising:

an end-effector-side first gearbox element which is coupled to the end effector so that it cannot rotate about the end effector axis of rotation,

and a manipulator-side second gearbox element which is driven via the rotary element of the manipulator,

wherein the first gearbox element and the second gearbox element are in engagement with one another in the connected state of the first and second coupling portions, wherein the first gearbox element is arranged coaxially to the connecting rod and/or is connected to the connecting rod in a rotationally fixed manner.

14 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting device is configured to be controllable in such a way that it can be selectively activated or deactivated, wherein a controller is provided for controlling the connecting device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2024
From: FREY, MATTHIAS
To: J.SCHMALZ GMBH
Reel/Frame 068269/0691 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2024
From: BLÄSE, NICO
To: J.SCHMALZ GMBH
Reel/Frame 068269/0755 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 102023121122.6 · Aug 8, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250050511A1 · Feb 13, 2025
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