Patent ID: 8172288

Claim:
A gripper ( 1 ) for holding two-dimensional components, comprising: a clamping ring ( 4 ) connected to a controllable robot arm ( 3 ), a baffle plate ( 6 ) connected to the clamping ring ( 4 ) by a funnel-shaped component ( 5 ) having a gripping face ( 7 ) which communicates with a flow system ( 8 ) which passes through the funnel-shaped component ( 5 ) and the baffle plate ( 6 ) and by means of which, after an excess pressure has been applied to the gripper ( 1 ), a negative pressure is produced on the gripping face ( 7 ) of the baffle plate ( 6 ) in order to attach by suction a two-dimensional component to be gripped, a bearing ring ( 10 ) having a bearing surface ( 9 ) which is integrated in the gripping face ( 7 ) and provides a slip-resistant movement of the two-dimensional component attached to the gripping face ( 7 ) by suction, and having a damping device ( 12 ) which is circumferentially adapted to the gripper ( 1 ), the contour of which damping device ( 12 ), when viewed in plan view of the gripper ( 1 ), protrudes circumferentially above the contour of all the other components ( 4 , 5 , 6 ) of the gripper ( 1 ), and which damping device ( 12 ) forms such a damping resistance for the two-dimensional component to be gripped during its suction-induced approach towards the gripping face ( 7 ) that the two-dimensional component comes to bear in a shock-free manner against the bearing surface ( 9 ) of the bearing ring ( 10 ), and wherein: the bearing surface ( 9 ) of the bearing ring ( 10 ) is rubberized; and the damping device ( 12 ) which is circumferentially adapted to the gripper ( 1 ) comprises a brush ( 12 ) with elastic bristles ( 13 ) which, when viewed in lateral view of the gripper ( 1 ), protrude by a dimension (d) which ranges from 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm beyond all the other components ( 4 , 5 , 6 ) of the gripper ( 1 ) and as the first contact form a damping resistance for the wafer ( 2 ) to be gripped during its suction-induced approach towards the gripping face ( 7 ).