Suction pad assembly and production process thereof

摘要

A suction pad assembly for holding a work by suction includes a suction pad and a connector. The suction pad comprises a root part connected to a vacuum and suction source through the connector and a skirt part integrally joined to the root part. The connector has an entirely protrudent part in a noncircular form in transverse section. The root part has a recess into which the noncircularly protrudent part of the connector is fitted. Alternatively, the root part has an entirely protrudent part in a noncircular form in transverse section and the connector has a recess in a noncircular form in transverse section, into which the protrudent part of the root part is fitted. A process for the production of the suction pad assembly comprises forming a skirt part of a suction pad body thinly so as to conform to the shape of the surface of a work and at the same time, forming a recess or protrudent part in or on a root part of the suction pad body; causing the skirt part to conform to the shape of the surface of the work; hardening the skirt part in a state that the skirt part has been caused to conform to the shape of the surface of the work; and then fitting a protrudent part or recess of a connector into or over the recess or protrudent part of the root part to integrate the connector and suction pad body with each other.