Patent Description:
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a versatile suction element that is able to adhere to a ground surface for a long period of time with sufficient stability even if tilting forces are aoolied to the suction element Such holders are known from <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>, whereby a Bernoulli grip is used in <CIT> instead of a suction holder.

The present disclosure provides a suction module comprising a main body with a suction cup, wherein the main body has a vacuum passage that establishes a communication between a first vacuum port and the suction cup, and that further establishes a communication with at least one further vacuum port located at an outer surface of the main body. According to the first aspect, the suction element is designed as a suction module having a first vacuum port for applying a vacuum to the suction cup. The first vacuum port serves to apply a vacuum either by means of an external device such as a stationary vacuum source or a portable vacuum source, or by means of any other suitable device. The at least one further vacuum port that is located at an outer surface of the main body may either be closed and sealed, e.g. with a plug, to use such module as a stand-alone device. Alternatively, the at least one further suction port may be used to connect with a further suction module thereby increasing the adhering surface of the module assembly. Simultaneously, the upper surface area of such module assembly is increased which provides an enlarged surface area for fixing fixtures, such as holders for wires.

With a plurality of suction modules as described above, it is possible to make a cluster of suction modules in a desired size and shape. Such cluster has an increased suction force and an increased area covering a ground surface wherein only a single vacuum source needs to be connected to the first vacuum port of one module. The further suction modules being part of the cluster can be connected with the first suction module by means of a connector.

Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the specification, the subclaims and the drawings.

According to a first embodiment, the further vacuum port of the suction module is located at an outer circumferential surface of the main body. This facilitates the connection to a further suction module since a rod-like or bar-like element can be used to connect two suction modules.

According to a further embodiment, at least two further vacuum ports are provided wherein all vacuum ports are equally spaced. In the case of three or more vacuum ports this leads to a star-like arrangement having a high degree of flexibility and stability.

According to a further embodiment, the first vacuum port is provided with a check valve. This allows to apply vacuum to the suction cup that is mounted to the suction module also after the vacuum source has been removed from the first vacuum port. For releasing vacuum from the suction module, it is merely necessary to open the check valve.

According to a further embodiment, an upper surface of the main body is provided with at least two identical fixtures for fixing a holding element. The holding element may for example be a fork holder for wires and the fixtures may have the form of a hole, a threaded hole, a bore or the like. If there are two or more fixtures provided on such module, there is a higher range of positions available for placing a holder thereby assuring a correct and versatile routing of a wire harness.

According to a further embodiment, the upper surface of the main body is provided with three identical fixtures that are equally spaced. Such design allows for a very high variability regardless of the use of a single suction module or of a cluster of suction modules.

According to a further embodiment, the main body has the shape of a circular cylinder with a flat upper cover surface. Such design has proven as advantageous with regard to handling, cleaning and forming a cluster of modules.

According to a further embodiment, the further vacuum port is sealed with a plug. In this embodiment, the suction module can be used as a single module, however, after the plug is removed, the single module can be connected to at least one further suction module to form an assembly of suction modules.

According to a further embodiment, the main body is integrally made of one piece. The main body can for example be manufactured by means of an injection moulding or 3D-printing. In both cases it is merely necessary to mount the suction cup to the main body without further assembly steps being necessary.

According to a further embodiment, the vacuum ports are provided with a thread. The thread can form a part of the main body. Alternatively, it is possible to provide threaded inserts, such as metallic inserts, that are anchored in the vacuum ports.

According to a further aspect of this disclosure, an assembly of at least two suction modules as described above is provided, wherein the suction modules are releasably interconnected by means of at least one connector that provides a communication passage between the vacuum passages of all suction modules. As described above, this provides the advantage that only one single vacuum source needs to be connected to the first vacuum port of a first suction module. If vacuum is applied, the vacuum passages of the vacuum modules and the communication passage of the connector allow for a distribution of the applied vacuum to the suction cups of all modules. Of course, it will be necessary to close and seal any open vacuum port that has no check valve or no connector.

According to an embodiment, the suction cups of all suction modules are arranged coplanar.

According to a further embodiment, the connector has the shape of a straight rod, or has at least three coplanar arms with respectively two adjacent arms including the same angle. Such connector provides a cluster of two, three, four or more suction modules in a symmetrical design for good handling and stability properties.

According to a further embodiment, a distance between two suction modules equals about <NUM> - <NUM> % of a diameter of the connecting element. In this embodiment the suction modules are placed relatively closely to each other which improves the stability of the assembly.

According to a further embodiment, the assembly comprises a platform interconnecting the suction modules of the assembly wherein the platform is fixed in fixtures of the suction modules and has fixtures for fixing a holding element. By providing the platform, not only the stability of the assembly can be increased, but is also possible to provide fixtures at a location between adjacent suction modules to provide more options for mounting a fixture at a desired location.

Exemplary embodiments and functions of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following drawings, showing schematically in:.

<FIG> depicts a suction module <NUM> comprising a main body <NUM> with a suction cup <NUM>. The main body <NUM> of this embodiment has the shape of a circular cylinder with a flat upper cover surface. It is noted that for illustrative purposes only, the flat upper cover surface of the suction module is omitted in all Figures.

In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the main body <NUM> has a vacuum passage <NUM> (<FIG>) that establishes a communication between a first vacuum port <NUM>, located at an outer circumferential surface <NUM> of the main body <NUM>, and an interior space <NUM> (<FIG>) of a suction cup <NUM> which is mounted to the main body <NUM>, e.g. by means of screws <NUM>. The vacuum passage <NUM> further establishes a communication with a further vacuum port <NUM> also located at an outer circumferential surface <NUM> of the main body <NUM>.

In order to apply a vacuum to the vacuum passage <NUM> and to the interior space <NUM> of the suction cup <NUM> a check valve <NUM> is inserted in the first vacuum port <NUM>. Thereby, it is possible to apply vacuum, e.g. by means of a vacuum gun <NUM> (<FIG>), to the interior space <NUM> of the suction cup <NUM>. It is noted that <FIG> shows the check valve <NUM> as a solid body for illustrative purposes only.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the further vacuum port <NUM> and the fist vacuum port <NUM> include an angle of <NUM>° and the further vacuum port <NUM> is closed and sealed with a plug (not shown in the drawings). Both vacuum ports <NUM>, <NUM> are provided with a thread <NUM>, <NUM> such that the check valve <NUM> and the plug can be screwed into the respective port. Alternatively, the ports can be provided with a threaded insert.

The upper cover surface (that is not shown in the drawings) of the main body <NUM> is provided with a plurality of identical fixtures <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> for fixing a holding element such as a holder or a holding fork. The holding element can be inserted or screwed into the fixtures <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> that are designed as a bore, threaded bore or the like. The drawings show that the illustrated embodiment has three identical fixtures that are equally spaced thereby forming the corners of an isosceles triangle.

The suction module shown in <FIG> can be used to mount a holder on a ground surface. After the holder is inserted in one of the fixtures <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> and after the further vacuum port <NUM> has been closed and sealed, e.g. by means of a plug, the suction module can be placed on a ground surface at a desired location. Thereafter, vacuum can be applied to the vacuum passage <NUM> and thereby to the interior space <NUM> of the suction cup <NUM> wherein the vacuum passes through a central passage <NUM> in the bottom of suction cup <NUM>. Thereby, the suction cup <NUM>, which is made of a rubber-like, resilient material, is compressed and adheres to the ground surface. After this has been done, the vacuum source can be removed. and the vacuum is kept in the suction module by means of the check valve <NUM>. For removing the module from the ground surface, the check valve <NUM> needs to be actuated to release the vacuum from the suction module <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an assembly of two suction modules <NUM> that are designed as described above wherein both suction modules <NUM> are releasably interconnected by means of a connector <NUM> that provides a communication passage <NUM> between the vacuum passages <NUM> of both suction modules <NUM>. The connector <NUM> is designed as a cylindrical, rod-shaped element with two threaded ends. Accordingly, one end of the connector <NUM> is threaded into the further vacuum port <NUM> of the vacuum module <NUM> having the check valve <NUM>. The opposite end of the connector <NUM> is threaded into the first vacuum port <NUM> of the left vacuum module <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The further vacuum port <NUM> of the left vacuum module <NUM> is closed, e.g. by means of a plug (not shown).

Accordingly, the assembly shown in <FIG> provides not only three fixtures but a total of six fixtures <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> located at different spots.

<FIG> illustrates a further assembly comprising a total of three vacuum modules <NUM> interconnected by means of a connector (not visible in <FIG>), wherein this connector has three coplanar arms with respectively two adjacent arms including an angle of <NUM>°. Further, the further vacuum ports <NUM> visible in <FIG> are again closed and sealed, e.g. with a plug (not shown).

In the assembly of <FIG>, a platform <NUM> is fixed in respectively two fixtures of the three suction modules <NUM>. For example, the platform <NUM> is provided with pins at the lower surface of the platform that are inserted in the fixtures of the suction modules. At an upper surface of the platform <NUM> a plurality of fixtures <NUM> is provided and these fixtures may also be located between the suction modules <NUM>.

For adhering the assembly of suction modules of <FIG> on a ground surface, it is merely necessary to apply vacuum to the check valve <NUM> in the port <NUM>. The vacuum is communicated through the vacuum passage <NUM> of each suction module <NUM> and through the vacuum passage of the connector to apply vacuum to the suction cups of all three suction modules.

<FIG> shows a plan view of a further embodiment of a platform <NUM> that is composed of three arms with respectively two arms including an angle of <NUM>°. At an upper surface of the platform <NUM> four fixtures <NUM> are provided with one fixture being located at the centre and three fixtures being located at the outer end of the three arms of the platform <NUM>. The platform <NUM> can be mounted on a suction module and provides fixtures <NUM> not only at the outer circumference but also at the centre of the suction module.

<FIG> shows a further embodiment of a platform <NUM> comprising a straight bar <NUM> that integrally connects at its outer ends two platforms <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. At the centre of the bar <NUM> two arms <NUM> and <NUM> extend in a transverse direction. Further, a plurality of fixtures <NUM> are provided at an upper surface of the platform <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Suction module (<NUM>), said suction module comprising a main body (<NUM>) with a suction cup (<NUM>), wherein the main body (<NUM>) has a vacuum passage (<NUM>) that establishes a communication between a first vacuum port (<NUM>) and the suction cup (<NUM>), and that further establishes a communication with at least one further vacuum port (<NUM>) located at an outer surface (<NUM>) of the main body (<NUM>).