Patent ID: 8500181

Claim:
A suction lifter intended for the temporary fixing on a substantially smooth, air-impermeable fixing surface, said suction lifter comprising a suction cup, a deformable suction disc to be placed against the fixing surface, said suction disc being a separate part from said suction cup, and means for spacing a central part of the suction disc from the fixing surface for forming a hollow space under a partial vacuum condition between a suction side of the suction disc and the fixing surface, wherein the suction disc is arranged between the suction cup and the fixing surface, wherein the suction cup further has a circumferential cup rim surrounding the hollow space, and wherein a circumferential supporting rim of a non-suction side of the suction disc facing the cup rim is supported against the cup rim under a vacuum condition, wherein said suction cup rim has a circumferential support projection extending in an axial direction towards said suction disc and engaging the non-suction side of the suction disc rim when under at least a partial vacuum condition and the suction disc rim having a circumferential support projection on the non-suction side extending substantially in an axial direction, which cup and disc projections engage one behind the other and which are supported against each other in the radial direction when a shearing force is exerted, and wherein the cup rim is configured such that different portions of the cup rim engage the non-suction side of the suction disc radially inward and outward from the suction disc projection when a vacuum is applied, and wherein the radially outward portion of the cup rim has a greater contact area than the radially inner portion of the cup rim.