Patent ID: 11926489
Assignee: KONGSBERG PRECISION CUTTING SYSTEMS BELGIUM BV
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A vacuum plate for handling a sheet material article, the vacuum plate comprising a first wall, a plurality of vacuum holes in the first wall each of said holes being defined by a bore extending through the first wall between opposite first and second sides of the first wall, and at least one air outlet for connection to a source of vacuum pressure for applying a vacuum pressure to said bore from the second side of the first wall whereby the first wall provides, in use, a vacuum surface for pulling and holding said article to the vacuum surface when said vacuum pressure is applied to said bore, wherein said bore comprises:
a flared entrance terminating at the vacuum surface for admitting air pulled through said bore by said applied vacuum pressure; and
opposite said entrance, an exit for said air pulled through said bore, said exit being surrounded by a rim that extends above a surrounding surface of the second side of the first wall.