Safety system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11198220-B2
Application number	US-201816020801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2018
Priority date	Jun 28, 2017
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

Safety system ( 100 ) for an industrial environment ( 10 ) comprising a robotic machine wherein at least a moving head ( 12 ) of the robotic machine is movable within a first area ( 1 ) and a second area ( 2 ) of the industrial environment ( 10 ), the safety system ( 100 ) comprising:
a light curtain ( 110 ) extending between a first vertical support ( 112 ) and a second vertical support ( 114 ) to cover both the first area ( 1 ) and the second area ( 2 ); a head position sensor ( 130 ) adapted to detect the position of the moving head ( 12 ) within the first area ( 1 ) and the second area ( 2 ); a safety control unit ( 140 );

wherein the light curtain ( 110 ) comprises a first couple of two TOF sensors (F 1 , F 3 ) respectively positioned on the first and second vertical supports ( 112, 114 ), the safety control unit ( 140 ) being adapted to process output signals received from the TOF sensors (F 1 , F 3 ) and the head position sensor ( 130 ) so as to selectively and dynamically secure the first area ( 1 ) and the second area ( 2 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A safety system for an industrial environment comprising a robotic machine that includes at least a moving head of the robotic machine that is configured to move within a first area and a second area of the industrial environment, the safety system comprising:
a light curtain extending between a first vertical support and a second vertical support to cover a region extending along a vertical plane across both the first area and the second area;
a head position sensor positioned on the moving head adapted to detect the position of the moving head within the first area and the second area;
a safety control unit; and
wherein the light curtain includes a first couple of two TOF sensors respectively positioned at different heights on the first and second vertical supports, the safety control unit being adapted to process output signals received from the TOF sensors and the head position sensor so as to selectively and dynamically secure the first area and the second area.

2. The safety system according to claim 1 , wherein the light curtain comprises a second couple of two TOF sensors respectively positioned at different heights on the first and second vertical supports of the light curtain.

3. The safety system according to claim 2 , wherein the two TOF sensors of the first couple face each other at different heights on the first and second vertical supports and (ii) the two TOF sensors of the second couple face each other at different heights on the first and second vertical supports, and each of the TOF sensors are at different heights.

4. The safety system according to claim 2 , wherein each TOF sensor on the first vertical support is adapted to provide an output signal indicating that a breach of the light curtain occurred at a first range of distances from the TOF sensor.

5. The safety system according to claim 2 , wherein each TOF sensor on the second vertical support is adapted to provide an output signal indicating that a breach of the light curtain occurred at a second range of distances from the TOF sensor.

6. The safety system according to claim 5 , wherein along a horizontal direction parallel to light beams emitted by the TOF sensors, the first range of distances corresponds to the extent of the first area and the second range of distances corresponds to the extent of the second area.

7. The safety system according to claim 5 , wherein along a horizontal direction parallel to light beams emitted by the TOF sensors:
a first range of distances corresponds to the extent of the first area plus a further extent substantially corresponding to the extent of the moving head, whereby the first range of distances comprises a length of the second area, which is contiguous to the first area, and
the second range of distances corresponds to the extent of the second area plus a further extent substantially corresponding to the extent of the moving head, whereby the second range of distances comprises a length of the first area, which is contiguous to the second area, and wherein the further extent is shorter than each of the extent of the first area and the extent of the second area.

8. The safety system according to claim 2 , wherein the safety control unit is adapted to selectively and dynamically secure the first area and the second area by activating a safety measure in the industrial environment, depending from the output signals received from the TOF sensors and the head position sensor.

9. The safety system according to claim 8 , wherein the safety control unit is configured to activate said safety measure in the industrial environment when:
at least one of the output signals received from the TOF sensors on the first vertical support indicates a breach of the light curtain within the first range of distances and the output signal received from the head position sensor indicates presence of the moving head within the first area; and/or
at least one of the output signals received from the TOF sensors on the second vertical support indicates a breach of the light curtain within the second range of distances and the output signal received from the head position sensor indicates presence of the moving head within the second area.

10. The safety system according to claim 2 , wherein the safety control unit is adapted to periodically perform an integrity test for evaluating the integrity of detections performed by each TOF sensor.

11. The safety system according to claim 10 , wherein the safety system comprises a first reflecting target for testing the TOF sensors on the first vertical support and a second reflecting target for testing the TOF sensors on the second vertical support.

12. The safety system according to claim 11 , wherein the first reflecting target is at the first vertical support and the second reflecting target is at the second vertical support.

13. The safety system according to claim 11 , wherein in order to perform said integrity test, the safety control unit is adapted to periodically compare actual detections made by the TOF sensors with reference detections made in relation to the corresponding reflecting target between said first reflecting target and second reflecting target.

14. The safety system according to claim 2 , wherein the TOF sensors comprise laser sources adapted to emit horizontal light beams lying in a vertical plane defining the light curtain.

15. A light curtain of a safety system for selectively and dynamically securing a first area and a second area of an industrial environment wherein at least a moving head of a robotic machine is configured to move within the first area and the second area, the light curtain comprising:
a first vertical support and a second vertical support;
a first couple of two TOF sensors respectively positioned at different heights on the first and second vertical supports and respectively adapted to provide output signals to a processor of a safety control unit indicating that a breach of the light curtain occurred at a first range of distances and at a second range of distances from the respective TOF sensor.

16. A method for providing safety in an industrial environment including a robotic machine that includes at least a moving head that is configured to move within a first area and a second area of the industrial environment and a processor of a safety control unit configured to determine location of the moving head, the method comprising:
establishing a light curtain extending at different heights between a first vertical support and a second vertical support to cover both the first area and the second area;
detecting position of the moving head within the first area and the second area; and
processing output signals received from the light curtain and the position of the head so as to selectively and dynamically secure the first area and the second area.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein processing the output signals includes processing time-of-flight (TOF) signals.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising determining a range of the breach of the light curtain.

19. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising selectively and dynamically securing the first area and the second area by activating a safety measure in the industrial environment depending from the output signals and position of the moving head.

20. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising periodically performing an integrity test for evaluating the integrity of the light curtain.

Assignees

• Datalogic IP Tech Srl

Inventors

• Lorenzoni Enrico

Classifications

• G01V8/20

  using multiple transmitters or receivers · CPC title

• G05B2219/40203

  Detect position of operator, create non material barrier to protect operator · CPC title

• G05B2219/39091

  Avoid collision with moving obstacles · CPC title

• B25J19/022

  using lasers · CPC title

• G05B2219/40202

  Human robot coexistence · CPC title