Feeding area safety protection system and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of industrial automation safety protection, in particular to a feeding area safety protection system and method. The feeding area safety protection system comprises a fence protection module, a safety grating module, an area scanning module, a signal control module and a flow control module; personnel are allowed to enter a feeding operation area safely, a safety grating in a lead door is always kept in a completely activated state, a dangerous area in equipment is continuously monitored, it is ensured that even under the condition that peripheral protection is temporarily relieved, the core area of the equipment is still under seamless monitoring, and the safety of the equipment is ensured. And the risk that people mistakenly enter the equipment and cannot be identified in time is fundamentally avoided. And meanwhile, the process control module cooperatively manages the whole operation process and ensures that the switching of all safety protection states strictly follows a preset sequence, so that the operation smoothness is ensured, and meanwhile, the hidden danger of mechanical injury accidents is thoroughly eliminated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of industrial automation safety protection technology, and in particular to a safety protection system and method for a material loading area. Background Technology

[0002] Material loading area safety protection systems are widely used in automated production lines to prevent personnel from accidentally entering dangerous areas during equipment operation and to ensure the safety of operators.

[0003] Existing safety protection systems for material loading areas typically include safety fences, safety light curtains, and area scanning equipment. The system detects personnel entry through the light curtains, monitors the area for obstacles using the scanner, and uses a PLC to shield and restore signals, thus completing the material loading process while ensuring safety.

[0004] In actual operation, the existing safety protection system for the material loading area requires the temporary blocking of some sensor signals to allow personnel to enter, which can easily lead to blind spots in the safety monitoring of the internal area of ​​the equipment. This poses a risk that personnel may accidentally enter the equipment without being identified in time, which may result in mechanical injury accidents. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a safety protection system and method for loading areas, which solves the problem that existing safety protection systems for loading areas, in actual operation, require temporary shielding of some sensor signals to allow personnel to enter, which can easily lead to blind spots in the safety monitoring of the internal areas of the equipment. This poses a risk that personnel may accidentally enter the equipment without being identified in time, and may cause mechanical injury accidents.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a material loading area safety protection system, which includes a fence protection module, a safety light curtain module, an area scanning module, a signal control module, and a process control module. The fence protection module is set around the perimeter of the material loading area, forming a physical isolation barrier; The safety light curtain module includes an entrance safety light curtain and a safety light curtain inside the lead door. The entrance safety light curtain is installed at the entrance of the fence of the fence protection module, and the safety light curtain inside the lead door is installed on the inside of the lead door. Both the entrance safety light curtain and the safety light curtain inside the lead door are used to detect personnel intrusion and trigger an alarm signal. The area scanning module is installed at the bottom of the loading platform in the loading area and is used to scan the loading area to detect obstacles; The signal control module is implemented based on a programmable logic controller and is configured to execute selective signal shielding logic during the feeding process; The process control module works in conjunction with the signal control module to manage the complete safety process of the material loading operation.

[0007] The fence in the fence protection module is no less than 2.2 meters high, and the fence in the fence protection module is made of sturdy materials. Its bottom is firmly connected to the ground, and its top has no horizontal components that are easy to climb. The fence in the fence protection module is equipped with safety warning signs, which are used to provide visual warnings when the equipment is running or in alarm state.

[0008] The entrance safety light curtain and the safety light curtain inside the lead gate both use photosensitive devices with a safety integrity level of SIL3; each of the entrance safety light curtain and the safety light curtain inside the lead gate includes a transmitter and a receiver, which are respectively installed vertically on both sides of the corresponding fence entrance passage or lead gate entrance passage. The transmitter is configured to emit multiple parallel infrared beams at preset intervals, with the vertical spacing between the beams not exceeding 30 millimeters, forming a dense light curtain. The receiving end monitors and receives the light beam emitted by the transmitting end on the other side in real time; When any beam of light is continuously blocked by an intruding object or person for more than a preset time threshold, the receiver determines that an intrusion has been detected and immediately sends a high-priority shutdown alarm signal to the signal control module.

[0009] The core component of the area scanning module is a safety laser scanner, which is installed at the bottom of the loading platform. The security laser scanner periodically emits a fan-shaped laser beam with a range of 270 degrees through its internal laser emitting device to perform high-speed, continuous scanning of the fan-shaped area in front of it. The working principle of the security laser scanner is as follows: when the laser beam emitted by the security laser scanner encounters an obstacle in the area, it will be reflected, and the reflected light will be captured by the receiver of the security laser scanner. The processing unit inside the safety laser scanner calculates the precise distance between the obstacle and the safety laser scanner in real time by accurately calculating the time difference between the laser emission and reception, and constructs a two-dimensional positional plan of the obstacle in the area by combining the scanning angle. The safety laser scanner has different preset protection zone outlines. When it detects an obstacle intruding into the activated protection zone, it will immediately output a corresponding switch signal to the signal control module or transmit position data through industrial Ethernet / fieldbus to trigger an alarm or shutdown.

[0010] The specific formula for the processing unit inside the safety laser scanner to calculate the precise distance between the obstacle and the scanner in real time is as follows: d = ( c × Δt ) / 2; In the formula, d The precise distance between the obstacle and the security laser scanner. c At the speed of light, Δt This is the time difference between the emission and reception of the laser beam.

[0011] The operating principle of the signal control module is as follows: The programmable logic controller receives alarm and status signals from the entrance safety light curtain, the safety light curtain inside the lead door, and the safety laser scanner via a digital input module; The programmable logic controller outputs control signals through a digital output module to drive the equipment's emergency stop circuit, alarm indicator light, and audible and visual alarm. The programmable logic controller stores and executes a preset safety control program, which implements selective signal shielding logic.

[0012] The selective signal shielding logic executed by the signal control module is configured to include the following operating modes: First operating mode: When the equipment is running normally, the protection functions of the entrance safety light curtain, the safety light curtain inside the lead door, and the area scanning module are all activated; when any module triggers an intrusion signal, the signal control module controls the equipment to perform a safe shutdown. Second operating mode: In response to the feeding command received by the system, the signal control module performs the following control steps: a. Shield the alarm signal from the entrance safety light curtain, allowing personnel to enter the loading area without triggering a shutdown; b. Shield the alarm signal of the area scanning module for the loading area, allowing personnel to move within the loading area without triggering a shutdown; c. Maintain the safety light curtain inside the lead door in an active and unshielded state, so that it continuously monitors the internal area of ​​the equipment.

[0013] The present invention also provides a safety protection method for a loading area, applied to the loading area safety protection system as described above, comprising the following steps: In response to the feeding command, the signal control module executes selective signal shielding logic to shield the alarm signals of the entrance safety light curtain and the area scanning module, while keeping the safety light curtain inside the lead door in an active state. During the period when the selective signal shielding logic is in effect, personnel are allowed to enter the loading area defined by the fence protection module to perform loading operations, while the internal area of ​​the equipment is continuously monitored by keeping the safety light curtain inside the lead door active. In response to the material loading completion command, the signal control module restores the alarm functions of the entrance safety light curtain and the area scanning module; Based on the entrance safety light curtain and the area scanning module with the recovery alarm function, after confirming that the personnel in the loading area have been cleared, the signal control module blocks the alarm signal of the safety light curtain inside the lead door; After the alarm signal of the safety light curtain inside the lead door is blocked, the process control module controls the feeding mechanism to enter the equipment to perform the feeding operation.

[0014] This invention discloses a safety protection system and method for a material loading area, comprising a fence protection module, a safety light curtain module, an area scanning module, a signal control module, and a process control module. During the loading process, only the alarm signals of the entrance safety light curtain and the area scanning module are blocked, allowing personnel to safely enter the loading area. The safety light curtain inside the lead door remains fully activated, continuously monitoring dangerous areas within the equipment. This ensures that even if the outer perimeter protection is temporarily removed, the core area of ​​the equipment remains under seamless monitoring, fundamentally eliminating the risk of personnel accidentally entering the equipment without timely detection. Simultaneously, the process control module collaboratively manages the entire operation process, ensuring that the switching of all safety protection states strictly follows a preset sequence, thereby guaranteeing smooth operation while completely eliminating potential mechanical injury hazards. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the safety protection system for the material loading area provided by the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is an application diagram of the material loading area safety protection system provided by the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the steps of the material loading area safety protection method provided by the present invention.

[0019] 101-Fence protection module, 102-Safety light curtain module, 103-Area scanning module, 104-Signal control module, 105-Process control module, 106-Entrance safety light curtain, 107-Safety light curtain inside lead door, 108-Programmable logic controller, 109-Safety warning sign, 110-Safety laser scanner, 111-Digital input module, 112-Digital output module, 113-Loading area, 114-Loading platform. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0021] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The present invention provides a safety protection system for a loading area, which includes a fence protection module 101, a safety light curtain module 102, an area scanning module 103, a signal control module 104, and a process control module 105. The fence protection module 101 is set around the material loading area 113 to form a physical isolation barrier; The safety light curtain module 102 includes an entrance safety light curtain 106 and a lead door inner safety light curtain 107. The entrance safety light curtain 106 is installed at the fence entrance of the fence protection module 101, and the lead door inner safety light curtain 107 is installed on the inside of the lead door. Both the entrance safety light curtain 106 and the lead door inner safety light curtain 107 are used to detect personnel intrusion and trigger an alarm signal. The area scanning module 103 is installed at the bottom of the loading platform 114 in the loading area 113 and is used to scan the loading area 113 to detect obstacles. The signal control module 104 is implemented based on the programmable logic controller 108 and is configured to execute selective signal shielding logic during the feeding process; The process control module 105 is linked with the signal control module 104 to manage the complete safety process of the material loading operation.

[0022] In this embodiment, during the loading process, only the alarm signals of the entrance safety light curtain 106 and the area scanning module 103 are blocked, allowing personnel to safely enter the loading area. The safety light curtain 107 inside the lead door remains fully activated, continuously monitoring dangerous areas inside the equipment. This ensures that even if the outer perimeter protection is temporarily removed, the core area of ​​the equipment remains under seamless monitoring, fundamentally eliminating the risk of personnel accidentally entering the equipment without timely detection. Simultaneously, the process control module 105 collaboratively manages the entire operation process, ensuring that the switching of all safety protection states strictly follows a preset sequence, thereby guaranteeing smooth operation while completely eliminating potential mechanical injury hazards.

[0023] Furthermore, the fence height in the fence protection module 101 is not less than 2.2 meters, and the fence in the fence protection module 101 is made of sturdy materials, with its bottom firmly connected to the ground and no horizontal components on the top that are easy to climb. The fence in the fence protection module 101 is provided with a safety warning sign 109, which is used to provide visual warnings when the equipment is running or in alarm state.

[0024] In this embodiment, a dedicated fence with a height of not less than 2.2 meters, a sturdy structure, and no climbing points is set up to effectively prevent unauthorized personnel from entering from the side. At the same time, the safety warning signs 109 set on the fence provide eye-catching visual warnings when the equipment is running or alarming. These two measures significantly improve the basic safety protection level of the loading area 113, reducing the risk of personnel accidentally entering from both physical structure and visual warning aspects.

[0025] Furthermore, both the entrance safety light curtain 106 and the safety light curtain inside the lead door 107 are photosensitive devices with a safety integrity level of SIL3; both the entrance safety light curtain 106 and the safety light curtain inside the lead door 107 include a transmitter and a receiver, and the transmitter and the receiver are respectively installed opposite to each other and vertically on both sides of the corresponding fence entrance passage or lead door entrance passage; The transmitter is configured to emit multiple parallel infrared beams at preset intervals, with the vertical spacing between the beams not exceeding 30 millimeters, forming a dense light curtain. The receiving end monitors and receives the light beam emitted by the transmitting end on the other side in real time; When any beam of light is continuously blocked by an intruding object or person for more than a preset time threshold, the receiver determines that an intrusion has been detected and immediately sends a high-priority shutdown alarm signal to the signal control module 104.

[0026] In this embodiment, by employing a SIL3 safety level grating device and constructing a dense infrared light curtain with a vertical spacing of no more than 30 mm, high-precision and high-reliability detection of personnel intrusion is achieved. Its double-ended installation structure and real-time monitoring mechanism ensure that a high-level shutdown signal can be triggered immediately when any beam is continuously blocked, thereby forming a sensitive and reliable electronic security defense line at the entrance and key lead door areas.

[0027] Furthermore, the core component of the area scanning module 103 is a safety laser scanner 110, which is installed at the bottom of the loading platform 114; The security laser scanner 110 periodically emits a fan-shaped laser beam with a range of 270 degrees through its internal laser emitting device to perform high-speed and continuous scanning of the fan-shaped area in front of it. The working principle of the security laser scanner 110 is as follows: when the laser beam emitted by the security laser scanner 110 encounters an obstacle in the area, it will be reflected, and the reflected light will be captured by the receiver of the security laser scanner 110. The processing unit inside the safety laser scanner 110 calculates the precise distance between the obstacle and the safety laser scanner 110 in real time by accurately calculating the time difference between the laser emission and reception, and constructs a two-dimensional positional plane map of the obstacle in the area by combining the scanning angle. The safety laser scanner 110 has different preset protection zone outlines. When it detects an obstacle intruding into the activated protection zone, it will immediately output a corresponding switch signal to the signal control module 104 or transmit position data through industrial Ethernet / fieldbus to trigger an alarm or shutdown.

[0028] In this embodiment, the specific formula for the processing unit inside the security laser scanner 110 to calculate the precise distance between the obstacle and the scanner in real time is as follows; d = ( c × Δt ) / 2; In the formula, d The precise distance between the obstacle and the safety laser scanner 110. c At the speed of light, Δt This is the time difference between the emission and reception of the laser beam.

[0029] Furthermore, the operating principle of the signal control module 104 is as follows: The programmable logic controller 108 receives alarm and status signals from the entrance safety light curtain 106, the safety light curtain inside the lead door 107, and the safety laser scanner 110 via the digital input module 111; The programmable logic controller 108 outputs control signals through the digital output module 112 to drive the emergency stop circuit, alarm indicator light and audible and visual alarm of the equipment. The programmable logic controller 108 internally stores and executes a preset safety control program, which implements selective signal shielding logic.

[0030] In this embodiment, the selective signal shielding logic executed by the signal control module 104 is configured to include the following operating modes: First operating mode: When the equipment is running normally, the protection functions of the entrance safety light curtain 106, the safety light curtain inside the lead door 107, and the area scanning module 103 are all activated; when any module triggers an intrusion signal, the signal control module 104 controls the equipment to perform a safe shutdown. Second operating mode: In response to the feeding command received by the system, the signal control module 104 performs the following control steps: The alarm signal from the entrance safety light curtain 106 is blocked, allowing personnel to enter the loading area 113 without triggering a shutdown; The alarm signal of the area scanning module 103 for the loading area 113 is blocked, allowing personnel to move within the loading area 113 without triggering a shutdown; The safety light curtain 107 inside the lead door is kept in an active and unshielded state, so that it can continuously monitor the internal area of ​​the equipment.

[0031] Please see Figure 3 The present invention also provides a method for safety protection of a loading area, applied to the loading area safety protection system as described above, comprising the following steps: S1: In response to the feeding command, the signal control module 104 executes selective signal shielding logic to shield the alarm signals of the entrance safety light curtain 106 and the area scanning module 103, while keeping the safety light curtain 107 inside the lead door in an active state. S2: During the period when the selective signal shielding logic is active, personnel are allowed to enter the loading area 113 defined by the fence protection module 101 to perform loading operations, while the internal area of ​​the equipment is continuously monitored by the safety light curtain 107 inside the lead door that remains active. S3: In response to the material loading completion command, the signal control module 104 restores the alarm functions of the entrance safety light curtain 106 and the area scanning module 103; S4: Based on the entrance safety light curtain 106 and the area scanning module 103 that restore the alarm function, after confirming that the personnel in the loading area 113 have been cleared, the signal control module 104 blocks the alarm signal of the safety light curtain 107 inside the lead door; S5: After the alarm signal of the safety light curtain 107 inside the lead door is blocked, the process control module 105 controls the feeding mechanism to enter the equipment to perform the feeding operation.

[0032] In this embodiment, by selectively shielding the signals of external sensors during the loading operation, the monitoring of the dangerous areas inside the equipment is maintained at all times. After the operation is completed, the sequential process of "restoring external monitoring - confirming personnel clearance - removing internal shielding" is strictly followed. This ensures the convenience of normal loading operations while completely eliminating blind spots in the safety monitoring of the equipment. It effectively prevents mechanical injury accidents caused by personnel accidentally entering dangerous areas during the start-up phase of automated equipment.

[0033] The above description discloses only one preferred embodiment of the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes of the above embodiments can be implemented, and equivalent changes made in accordance with the claims of the present invention are still within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A safety protection system for a material loading area, characterized in that, It includes a fence protection module, a safety light curtain module, an area scanning module, a signal control module, and a process control module; The fence protection module is set around the perimeter of the material loading area, forming a physical isolation barrier; The safety light curtain module includes an entrance safety light curtain and a safety light curtain inside the lead door. The entrance safety light curtain is installed at the entrance of the fence of the fence protection module, and the safety light curtain inside the lead door is installed on the inside of the lead door. Both the entrance safety light curtain and the safety light curtain inside the lead door are used to detect personnel intrusion and trigger an alarm signal. The area scanning module is installed at the bottom of the loading platform in the loading area and is used to scan the loading area to detect obstacles; The signal control module is implemented based on a programmable logic controller and is configured to execute selective signal shielding logic during the feeding process; The process control module works in conjunction with the signal control module to manage the complete safety process of the material loading operation.

2. The material loading area safety protection system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fence in the fence protection module is no less than 2.2 meters high. The fence in the fence protection module is made of sturdy materials. Its bottom is firmly connected to the ground and its top has no horizontal components that are easy to climb. The fence in the fence protection module is equipped with safety warning signs, which are used to provide visual warnings when the equipment is running or in alarm state.

3. The material loading area safety protection system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Both the entrance safety light curtain and the safety light curtain inside the lead gate are photosensitive devices with a safety integrity level of SIL3. Both the entrance safety light curtain and the safety light curtain inside the lead gate include a transmitter and a receiver, which are respectively installed vertically on both sides of the corresponding fence entrance passage or lead gate entrance passage. The transmitter is configured to emit multiple parallel infrared beams at preset intervals, with the vertical spacing between the beams not exceeding 30 millimeters, forming a dense light curtain. The receiving end monitors and receives the light beam emitted by the transmitting end on the other side in real time; When any beam of light is continuously blocked by an intruding object or person for more than a preset time threshold, the receiver determines that an intrusion has been detected and immediately sends a high-priority shutdown alarm signal to the signal control module.

4. The material loading area safety protection system as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The core component of the area scanning module is a safety laser scanner, which is installed at the bottom of the loading platform; The security laser scanner periodically emits a fan-shaped laser beam with a range of 270 degrees through its internal laser emitting device to perform high-speed, continuous scanning of the fan-shaped area in front of it. The working principle of the security laser scanner is as follows: when the laser beam emitted by the security laser scanner encounters an obstacle in the area, it will be reflected, and the reflected light will be captured by the receiver of the security laser scanner. The processing unit inside the safety laser scanner calculates the precise distance between the obstacle and the safety laser scanner in real time by accurately calculating the time difference between the laser emission and reception, and constructs a two-dimensional positional plan of the obstacle in the area by combining the scanning angle. The safety laser scanner has different preset protection zone outlines. When it detects an obstacle intruding into the activated protection zone, it will immediately output a corresponding switch signal to the signal control module or transmit position data through industrial Ethernet / fieldbus to trigger an alarm or shutdown.

5. The material loading area safety protection system as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The specific formula for the processing unit inside the safety laser scanner to calculate the precise distance between the obstacle and the scanner in real time is as follows: d =（ c × Δt ） / 2； In the formula, d The precise distance between the obstacle and the security laser scanner. c At the speed of light, Δt This is the time difference between the emission and reception of the laser beam.

6. The material loading area safety protection system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The operating principle of the signal control module is as follows: The programmable logic controller receives alarm and status signals from the entrance safety light curtain, the safety light curtain inside the lead door, and the safety laser scanner via a digital input module; The programmable logic controller outputs control signals through a digital output module to drive the equipment's emergency stop circuit, alarm indicator light, and audible and visual alarm. The programmable logic controller stores and executes a preset safety control program, which implements selective signal shielding logic.

7. The material loading area safety protection system as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The selective signal shielding logic executed by the signal control module is configured to include the following operating modes: First operating mode: When the equipment is running normally, the protection functions of the entrance safety light curtain, the safety light curtain inside the lead door, and the area scanning module are all activated; when any module triggers an intrusion signal, the signal control module controls the equipment to perform a safe shutdown. Second operating mode: In response to the feeding command received by the system, the signal control module performs the following control steps: The alarm signal from the entrance safety light curtain is blocked, allowing personnel to enter the loading area without triggering a shutdown; The alarm signal of the area scanning module for the loading area is blocked, allowing personnel to move within the loading area without triggering a shutdown. The safety light curtain inside the lead door is kept in an active and unshielded state, so that it can continuously monitor the internal area of ​​the equipment.

8. A method for safety protection of a material loading area, applied to the material loading area safety protection system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: In response to the feeding command, the signal control module executes selective signal shielding logic to shield the alarm signals of the entrance safety light curtain and the area scanning module, while keeping the safety light curtain inside the lead door in an active state. During the period when the selective signal shielding logic is in effect, personnel are allowed to enter the loading area defined by the fence protection module to perform loading operations, while the internal area of ​​the equipment is continuously monitored by keeping the safety light curtain inside the lead door active. In response to the material loading completion command, the signal control module restores the alarm functions of the entrance safety light curtain and the area scanning module; Based on the entrance safety light curtain and the area scanning module with the recovery alarm function, after confirming that the personnel in the loading area have been cleared, the signal control module blocks the alarm signal of the safety light curtain inside the lead door; After the alarm signal of the safety light curtain inside the lead door is blocked, the process control module controls the feeding mechanism to enter the equipment to perform the feeding operation.

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