US 12,472,633 B2
Mechanical grapple for high-pressure processing containers and method for handling high-pressure processing containers using said mechanical grapple
Carlos Hernando Saiz, Burgos (ES)
Assigned to DESARROLLO DE MÁQUINAS Y SOLUCIONES AUTOMÁTICAS S.L. (DESMASA), Burgos (ES)
Appl. No. 18/714,397
Filed by DESARROLLO DE MÁQUINAS Y SOLUCIONES AUTOMÁTICAS S.L. (DESMASA), Burgos (ES)
PCT Filed Nov. 30, 2021, PCT No. PCT/ES2021/070862
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 29, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/099794, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 8, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0018575 A1, Jan. 16, 2025
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1694 (2013.01) [B25J 15/0683 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mechanical grapple for high pressure processing containers intended to be coupled to a manipulator and to handle and open HPP (High Pressure Processing) containers that are equipped with a body and a lid that closes or opens said body, comprising:
a support structure,
a control unit,
a gripping mechanism linked to the control unit, intended to immobilize the body of the container when receiving commands from the control unit, and
an opening mechanism that is associated with the support structure, linked to the control unit, the movement of which is articulated with respect to said support structure and which is intended to open the HPP container by separating the lid from the body when receiving a command from the control unit,
wherein:
the support structure is equipped with:
a longitudinal holding plate comprising a first end and a second end; intended to be coupled to the body of the HPP container, and
an adapter that starts from the longitudinal holding plate and is intended to be coupled to the manipulator,
the gripping mechanism comprising:
protective plates which are fixed on the vicinity of the first end and of second end of the longitudinal holding plate intended to adapt to the diameter of the body of the HPP container, and
closures located between the protective plates in a pivotal manner with respect to said protective plates, intended to retain the body of the HPP container, and
first actuators associated with the closures and connected to the control unit; that enable the closures to move so that when the first actuators extend, the closures retain the HPP container; and when said first actuators retract, the moveable closures release the HPP container.