Sensor device for a hot zone of a vehicle production plant, and arrangement of a sensor device in a hot zone of a production plant for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12354460-B2
Application number	US-202218554876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2022
Priority date	Apr 12, 2021
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

A sensor device for a hot zone of a vehicle production plant includes a magnet element that is actuatable from an initial position into a deflected position when a vehicle component approaches the magnet element. An electrical circuit is open when the magnet element is arranged in the initial position and is closed when the magnet element is actuated from the initial position into the deflected position. An output element outputs a signal characterizing an ascertained approach of the vehicle component when the electrical circuit is closed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor device for of a hot zone of a motor vehicle production plant, comprising:
a magnet element, wherein the magnet element is actuatable from an initial position into a deflected position when a vehicle component of a motor vehicle approaches the magnet element;
an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit is open when the magnet element is arranged in the initial position and is closed when the magnet element is actuated from the initial position into the deflected position; and
an output element, wherein the output element comprises a light source, wherein the light source outputs a signal characterizing an ascertained approach of the vehicle component of the motor vehicle when the electrical circuit is closed, and wherein the output of the signal provides a display that is recognizable by a person to indicate the ascertained approach of the vehicle component of the motor vehicle in the hot zone of the motor vehicle production plant.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnet element is formed from Sm2Co17.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a resetting device, wherein the magnet element is resettable from the deflected position into the initial position by the resetting device.

4. The sensor device according to claim 3 , wherein the resetting device comprises a magnetic element for resetting the magnet element with a magnetic force or wherein the resetting device comprises a spring device for resetting the magnet element with a spring force.

5. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnet element is held on an anchor point about which the magnet element is tiltable for actuation between the initial position and the deflected position.

6. The sensor device according to claim 5 , further comprising a first plug element and a second plug element, wherein the first plug element is tiltable together with the magnet element about the anchor point such that the first plug element is electrically contactable with the second plug element for closure of the electrical circuit.

7. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein electrical lines of the electrical circuit are formed from an energy supply chain-compatible high-temperature line.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1 , wherein metallic constituents of the sensor device are made from nonmagnetic metals or metal alloys.

9. An arrangement, comprising:
the sensor device according to claim 1 disposed in the hot zone of the motor vehicle production plant.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the sensor device is disposed in a dryer of a paint shop.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Stein Daniel

Classifications

• H03K17/97

  using a magnetic movable element · CPC title

• H01H36/00

  Switches actuated by change of magnetic field or of electric field, e.g. by change of relative position of magnet and switch, by shielding · CPC title

• H01H9/161

  comprising light emitting elements · CPC title

• G08B21/18 Primary

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H3/16 Primary

  adapted for actuation at a limit or other predetermined position in the path of a body, the relative movement of switch and body being primarily for a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. for a door switch, a limit switch, a floor-levelling switch of a lift · CPC title