Abstract:
A suction structure includes a connection member and at least one suction assembly coupled to the connection member. The at least one suction assembly includes a base, a suction member, at least one first buffering member, at least one second buffering member, and at least one pushing member. The at least one suction assembly is assembled on the base. The at least one first buffering member is at least partially housed in the base. The at least one second buffering member forms a sleeve around at least a portion of the base. The at least one pushing member cooperates with the base and has a first end coupled to the at least one first buffering member and a second end at least partially exposed from with the suction member.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The disclosure generally relates to a suction structure. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In industrial production, when products need to be transmitted, force can be generated by a suction member, and can be applied to the products via a pushing member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures, wherein: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a suction structure. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of a first suction assembly of the suction structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a partially cross-sectional view of a base of the first suction assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an exploded, isometric view of a second suction assembly of the suction structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is an exploded, isometric view of a third suction assembly of the suction structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is an assembled view of the suction structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a partially cross-sectional view of the suction structure of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
         [0012]    Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
         [0013]    The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape or other word that substantially modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a suction structure  100 , which can be mounted to a manipulator or a cylinder and is configured to suck and move products under a control of the manipulator or the cylinder. The suction structure  100  includes a connection member  10  and at least one suction assembly mounted on the connection member  10 . In this embodiment, there are three suction assemblies, which are separately labeled as  20 ,  30 ,  40 . 
         [0015]    The connection member  10  includes a first surface  11 , a second surface  12  opposite to the first surface  11 , and a peripheral surface  13  perpendicularly connected to the first surface  11  and the second surface  13 . A mounting groove  14  and at least one receiving cavity  15  corresponding to the at least one suction assembly are defined on the connection member  10 . The mounting groove  14  is opened through the first surface  11  and the second surface  12  and is configured to assemble the connection member  10  to the manipulator or the cylinder. In this embodiment, there are three receiving cavities  15 . The receiving cavities  15  are defined in the second surface  12  and positioned around the mounting groove  14 . The three receiving cavities  15  are configured to receive the corresponding suction assemblies  20 ,  30 ,  40 . The peripheral surface  13  defines at least one pin hole  17  corresponding to the at least one receiving cavity  15 . In this embodiment, there are three pin holes  17 . Each pin hole  17  is coupled to the corresponding receiving cavity  15  by a channel and is configured to insert a pin  18  into the corresponding receiving cavity  15 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  shows that the suction assembly  20  is assembled in one of the receiving cavities  15  and includes a base  21 , a pushing member  22 , a first buffering member  23 , a second buffering member  24 , and a fixing block  25 . The base  21  is substantially a hollow cylinder with an open end and a closed end. A flange  211  protrudes on the closed end of the base  21 . The base  21  defines two opposite limitation holes  213  which are located adjacent to the open end of the base  21 . The pin  18  can be inserted into the two limitation holes  213  and the corresponding pin hole  17  to prevent the base  21  from moving. The pushing member  22  includes a pushing block  221  and a pushing pin  222  mounted thereon. In this embodiment, the first buffering member  23  is a spiral spring. A first end of the first buffering member  23  is fixed to the fixing block  25 . A second end of the first buffering member  23  is fixed to a side of the pushing block  221  of the pushing member  22  away from the pushing pin  222 . The second buffering member  24  is sleeved on the base  21  with a first end being fixed to the flange  211  and a second end being fixed to the second surface  12  of the connection member  10 . 
         [0017]    The closed end of the base  21  further forms a suction member  26 . The suction member  26  is substantially a hollow cylinder and is positioned in a side of the flange  211  away from the base  21 . The suction member  26  defines a needle hole  261  and a group of air holes  262  around the needle hole  261 . The needle hole  261  is configured to receive the pushing pin  222  and the first buffering member  23  can drive the pushing pin  222  to be exposed from the needle hole  261  of the suction member  26 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates that the base  21  further defines a receiving hole  215  and a connecting hole  217  in an axial direction of the base  21 . In this embodiment, a diameter of the connecting hole  217  is less than a diameter of the receiving hole  215 . All of the needle hole  261  and the air holes  262  are communicated with the receiving hole  215  and the connecting hole  217  by channels. 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows the suction assembly  30  includes a base  31 , a pushing member  32 , a first buffering member  33 , a second buffering member  34 , and a fixing block  35 . The base  31  is substantially a hollow cylinder with an open end and a closed end. The closed end of the base  31  forms a suction member  36 . In this embodiment, the suction assembly  30  differs from the suction assembly  20  only in that the suction member  36  defines two needle holes  361  and an air hole  362 , and the pushing member  32  includes a pushing block  321  and two pushing pins  222  mounted thereon. The air hole  362  is positioned in a side of the two needle holes  361 . Each needle hole  361  is configured to receive a corresponding pushing pin  322  and the first buffering member  33  can drive the two pushing pins  322  to be exposed from the corresponding needle hole  361  of the suction member  36 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  illustrates the suction assembly  40  includes a base  41 . The base  41  is substantially a hollow cylinder with an open end and a closed end. The closed end of the base  41  forms a suction member  46 . In this embodiment, the suction assembly  40  differs from the suction assembly  20  only in that the suction assembly  40  includes two pushing members  42 , two first buffering members  43 , and two fixing blocks  45 , and the suction member  46  defines two needle holes  461 , two groups of air holes  462 , and two connecting holes  417 . Each pushing member  42  includes a pushing block  421  and a pushing pins  422  mounted thereon. Each pushing pin  422  corresponds to a corresponding needle hole  461 . A first end of each first buffering member  43  is fixed to a corresponding fixing block  45 . A second end of each first buffering member  43  is fixed to a side of the corresponding pushing block  421  of the pushing member  42 . Each group of air holes  462  are around a corresponding needle hole  461 . Each needle hole  461  is configured to receive a corresponding pushing pin  422  and the first buffering member  43  can drive the corresponding pushing pin  422  to be exposed from the corresponding needle hole  461  of the suction member  46 . 
         [0021]    In this embodiment, the two connecting holes  417  are defined in a bottom surface  412  of the receiving hole  415 , extend towards the closed end of the base  41 , and are coupled to the corresponding needle hole  461  by a channel. The two connecting holes  417  are also communicated with the receiving hole  415 . That is, the needle holes  461 , the air holes  462 , and the connecting holes  417  are all communicated with the receiving holes  415  by channels. 
         [0022]      FIG. 6  illustrates that the suction assemblies  20 ,  30 ,  40  are assembled on the connection member  10  to suck different products. For example, when the suction assembly  20  is assembled to the connection member  10 , the base  21  is accommodated in one of the receiving cavities  15 . The pin  18  is inserted into the pin hole  17  and the two limitation holes  213  to fix the base  21  into the receiving cavity  15 . Then, a part of the receiving cavity  15 , the receiving hole  215 , and the connecting hole  217  cooperatively define an air cavity to accommodate air. Lubricating oil can be smeared between the base  21  and the receiving cavity  15  to keep a smooth sliding between the base  21  and the receiving cavity  15  and seal the air cavity. A first end of the second buffering member  24  is fixed to the flange  211  and a second end of the second buffering member  24  is fixed to the bottom surface  12  of the connection member  10 . The suction assembly  30  and the suction assembly  40  are assembled to the connection member  10  with similar means like the suction assembly  20 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 7  shows that the first surface  11  further defines at least one air hole  16  coupled to a corresponding receiving cavity  15  by a channel. In this embodiment, the number of the at least one air hole  16  is three and each air hole  16  corresponds to a receiving cavity  15 . In use of the suction structure  100 , the air holes  16  can be connected to air tubes to allow the air cavity to be filled with air and the connection member  10  is driven above the products by the manipulator or the cylinder to make the suction member  26  aims at the products. Then, the suction assemblies  20 ,  30 ,  40  are driven downward to allow the pushing pins  222 ,  322 ,  422  of the pushing members  22 ,  32 ,  42  to be inserted into a corresponding location hole of the products to suck the products. 
         [0024]    When the products are sucked, a force is generated among the pushing members  22 ,  32 ,  42 , the suction members  26 ,  36 ,  46 , and the products, and the pushing members  22 ,  32 ,  42  will be impacted by the force from the products. Then, the first buffering members  23 ,  33 ,  43  and the second buffering members  24 ,  34 ,  44  will be retracted by the force which can effectively reduce the force among the products, the pushing pins  222 ,  322 ,  422  of the pushing members  22 ,  32 ,  42 , and the suction members  26 ,  36 ,  46 , thereby protecting the products, the pushing pins  222 ,  322 ,  422  of the pushing members  22 ,  32 ,  42 , and the suction members  26 ,  36 ,  46  from damage. 
         [0025]    In other embodiments, the second buffering member  24 ,  34 ,  44  can be replaced by a plurality of springs or elastic blocks. 
         [0026]    In other embodiment, the cavities  15  can be configured to receive three suction assemblies  20 , three suction assemblies  30 , three suction assemblies  40 , or other combination of suction assemblies  20 ,  30 ,  40 . 
         [0027]    It is believed that the exemplary embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.