Pressure-sensitive safety device for monitoring a technical installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9851269-B2
Application number	US-201615335824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2016
Priority date	Nov 25, 2015
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A pressure-sensitive safety device for monitoring a technical installation, includes a sensor having first and second sensor cells, and first, second and third electrodes for making contact with the first and the second sensor cells. A pressure-sensitive material within the first and second sensor cells is configured, under local loading, to change an electrical property of the cells at the site of loading. An evaluation unit provides an output signal depending on an actuation of the first and second sensor cells. The first and second electrodes are connected to the first and second sensor cells, respectively, and the third electrode is connected to both the first and the second sensor cells. The first, second and third electrodes are connected to the evaluation unit by a first sequentialization element, and to a defined first potential by a second sequentialization element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Pressure-sensitive safety device for monitoring a technical installation, comprising:
a sensor which has at least one first sensor cell and one second sensor cell,
a first, a second and a third electrode for contacting the first and the second sensor cell,
a pressure-sensitive material within the first and the second sensor cell, which is configured, under local loading, to change an electrical property of the first and the second sensor cell at the site of loading, and
an evaluation unit which is configured to provide an output signal depending on the actuation of the first and the second sensor cell,
wherein the first electrode is connected to the first sensor cell, the second electrode is connected to the second sensor cell, and the third electrode is connected to both the first and the second sensor cell,
wherein the pressure-sensitive safety device further comprises a first sequentialization element, a second sequentialization element and a terminal for supplying a defined first potential, and
wherein the first, the second and the third electrode are connected to the evaluation unit by the first sequentialization element, and the first, the second and the third electrode are connected to the defined first potential by the second sequentialization element.

2. Pressure-sensitive safety device according to claim 1 , further comprising a resistor which is arranged between the terminal of the first potential and the second sequentialization element.

3. Pressure-sensitive safety device according to claim 2 , wherein the resistor is variable.

4. Pressure-sensitive safety device according to claim 2 , further comprising a terminal for supplying a second potential,
wherein the terminal of the second potential is connected to the first sequentialization element by a series resistor parallel to the evaluation unit.

5. Pressure-sensitive safety device according to claim 4 , wherein the series resistor is variable.

6. Pressure-sensitive safety device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first level and a second level,
wherein the first and the second electrode are arranged in the first level and the third electrode is arranged in the second level, and
wherein the first and the second level are spaced apart from one another by the pressure-sensitive material.

7. Pressure-sensitive safety device according to claim 6 , further comprising a first orientation of the first and the second electrode, a second orientation of the third electrode and an intermediate region,
wherein the intermediate region spaces apart and electrically insulates the first and the second electrode in the first level.

8. Pressure-sensitive safety device according to claim 7 , further comprising a further conductive path and a through connection,
wherein the further conductive path is arranged in the intermediate region and has the first orientation, and the through connection electrically connects the further conductive path to the third electrode.

9. Pressure-sensitive safety device according to claim 6 , wherein the first level and the second level are formed from fabric comprising electrically conductive and electrically non-conductive yarn, and
wherein the first, the second and the third electrode of conductive yarn are woven into the fabric.

10. Pressure-sensitive safety device according to claim 6 , wherein the pressure-sensitive material is an electrically non-conductive flexible material which is designed in the form of a sieve and deforms under mechanical loading, so that the first and the second electrode of the first layer can partially contact the third electrode in the second layer in the region of the mechanical loading.

Assignees

• Pilz Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Ibrocevic Onedin
• Kuczera Matthias
• Schweiker Matthias

Classifications

• G01L1/2287

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• G05B2219/40202

  Human robot coexistence · CPC title

• G01L5/0076 Primary

  Force sensors associated with manufacturing machines (G01L5/0066, G01L5/0071 and B23Q17/09 take precedence; for the specific machine or operation involved see relevant class, e.g. B21 - B42) · CPC title

• G05B2219/40203

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

• B25J19/06

  Safety devices · CPC title