Access control system to interference area

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10109128-B2
Application number	US-201515577966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2015
Priority date	May 29, 2015
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

An access control system configured to manage access of a worker to an interference area that the worker and a robot share, includes the indicating lamps which are disposed at least in four directions from a center of the interference area, a door which opens and closes a gate of the interference area, a lock device which locks and unlocks the door, and a control device which controls the indicating lamps and the lock device corresponding to the operation of the robot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An access control system configured to manage access of a worker to an interference area that is a works ace that the worker and a robot share, comprising:
a plurality of indicating lamps defining a boundary between the interference area and another area;
an opening-and-closing member configured to open and close a gate of the interference area;
a lock device configured to lock and unlock the opening-and-closing, member; and
a control device configured to control the plurality of indicating lamps and the lock device corresponding to operation of the robot, wherein the plurality of indicating lamps include at least one robot indicating lamp configured to define at least part of a boundary between a robot area that is a workspace where the robot works exclusively, and the interference area, and at least one gate indicating lamp configured to define at least part of a boundary between the interference area and areas other than the robot area, the at least part of the boundary including the gate, and
wherein, when the robot is executing an operating program that does not include a work in the interference area, the control device controls the plurality of indicating lamps and the lock device to cause the robot indicating lamp to indicate “nudging,” cause the gate indicating lamp to indicate “permitted,” and cause the lock device to unlock the opening-and-closing member.

2. The access control system of claim 1 , wherein, when the robot is stopped, the control device controls the plurality of indicating lamps and the lock device to cause the plurality of indicating lamps to indicate “permitted” and cause the lock device to unlock the opening-and-closing member.

3. The access control system of claim 1 , further comprising a gate sensor configured to detect opening and closing of the gate, and
wherein the control device detects that the worker exists in the interference area based on an open of the gate detected by the gate sensor.

4. The access control system of claim 1 , further comprising a passage detection sensor configured to detect an object passing through the boundary between the robot area that is a workspace where the robot works exclusively, and the interference area, and
wherein, while the worker exists in the interference area, the control device transmits a stop signal to the robot when the object passing through the boundary between the robot area and the interference area is detected by the passage detection sensor.

5. An access control system configured to manage access of a worker to an interference area that is a workspace that the worker and a robot share, comprising:
a plurality of indicating lamps defining a boundary between the interference area and another area;
an opening-and-closing member configured to open and close a gate of the interference area;
a lock device configured to lock and opening-and-closing member; and
a control device configured to control the plurality of indicating lamps and the lock device corresponding to operation of the robot, wherein, when the robot is executing an operating program that includes a work in the interference area, the control device controls the plurality of indicating lamps and the lock device to cause the plurality of indicating lamps to indicate “prohibited” and cause the lock device to lock the opening-and-closing member.

6. The access control system of claim 5 , wherein, when the robot is stopped, the control device controls the plurality of indicating lamps and the lock device to cause the plurality of indicating lamps to indicate “permitted” and cause the lock device to unlock the opening-and-closing member.

7. The access control system of claim 5 , further comprising a gate sensor configured to detect opening and closing of the gate, and
wherein the control device detects that the worker exists in the interference area based on an open of the gate detected by the gate sensor.

8. The access control system of claim 5 , further comprising a passage detection sensor configured to detect an object passing through the boundary between the robot area that is a workspace where the robot works exclusively, and the interference area, and
wherein, while the worker exists in the interference area, the control device transmits a stop signal to the robot when the object passing through the boundary between the robot area and the interference area is detected by the passage detection sensor.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kuraoka Shuhei
• Takebayashi Jun
• Yamane Hideshi
• Mizumoto Hiroyuki

Classifications

• F16P3/144

  using light grids · CPC title

• G07C9/30

  not involving the use of a pass · CPC title

• F16P3/08

  in connection with the locking of doors, covers, guards, or like members giving access to moving machine parts · CPC title

• G07C9/00896 Primary

  specially adapted for particular uses · CPC title

• G08B5/36

  using visible light sources · CPC title