Vacuum device for lifting articles loosely wrapped in flexible film.

摘要

A vacuum device for lifting an article (44) such as a loaf of bread which is loosely wrapped in flexible film (42). A vacuum chamber (26) in the device is provided with an anterior end wall (22) that is ported for communication of the chamber (26) with a vacuum source and with rigid diverging sidewalls (28) that diverge from a protruding sidewall surface (34) at the base of the chamber (26) to the edge of the anterior end wall (22). When the article (44) is lifted by the device, the diverging sidewalls (28) are positioned in the path of the suspended film (42) to cause the film (42) to wrap around the sidewalls (28) and the weight of the lifted article (44) to forcibly urge the film (42) into sealing contact with the protruding surface (34) of the sidewalls (28) as the film (42) exits from the chamber (26). By urging the film (42) into sealing contact with the sidewalls (28), the lifted article (44) itself advantageously assists in maintaining the vacuum seal within the chamber (26). The vacuum chamber (26) is sized and contoured for the film (42) to be received within the chamber (26) without being unduly stretched or permanently wrinkled.