safety switch

Abstract

The present application provides a safety switch that prevents an operator from being hindered. The safety switch includes a switch body that includes an electromagnet and an actuator attracted to the electromagnet. The switch body includes a drive control unit for controlling the safety switch and a safety control unit, and the drive control unit and the safety control unit are surrounded by a case. The case is arranged on a back surface side of the electromagnet of the switch body, and the case forms an accommodation portion for accommodating the drive control unit and the safety control unit.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of application number 202310964497.8, entitled "Safety Switch", filed on August 2, 2023 (application number 202511457436.8, entitled "Safety Switch"). Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to safety switches. Background Technology

[0003] In an environment where equipment is operated, there is a possibility of injury to a person if they have free access to the equipment. To prevent injury, protective barriers or partitions are used to separate the operating area, thus achieving a safe state. One method of achieving safety by separating the operating area is to use fixed components such as protective barriers to prevent people from entering the area (i.e., separating the operating area from the area where people are present). Another method is to construct a partition system that can separate the operating area and restrict equipment operation. In this system, the operating area is separated by fixed components such as protective barriers, and then an opening in a part of the partition, along with a movable part for opening and closing, is installed, thus creating a partition that allows the operator to enter the operating area. In this system, a control system is constructed to monitor the movable part and, based on the monitoring results, control the equipment operating in the operating area to prevent injury. In this system, a safety switch for monitoring the opening and closing of the movable part is installed in the area where the opening is located.

[0004] The safety switch includes a switch body disposed at the fixed part of the partition and an actuator disposed on an openable and closeable door constituting the movable part of the partition. As a function to maintain the operating area in a safe state, the safety switch detects and outputs the opening of the door, which is the movable part, and throughout the partition system, in response to the output from the safety switch, controls the equipment in the operating area to a state that prevents harm to the human body. By employing system configuration, such as stopping the equipment in the operating area or reducing the operating speed of the equipment in response to the output from the safety switch, safety measures are taken for the environment in which the equipment is operated.

[0005] As a type of safety switch, a safety switch with a locking mechanism is disclosed in JP 2019-183541A. The safety switch with a locking mechanism includes an actuator latch mounted in a partition fixing portion and a switch body mounted in a door, and the switch body is provided with a locking pin. The actuator latch and the switch body are arranged in opposite positions facing each other when the door is closed. In the locking mechanism, a locked state is formed by mechanically engaging the locking pin with the actuator latch, thus physically integrating the actuator latch and the locking pin. The safety switch with a locking mechanism is provided with a detection mechanism capable of detecting the locked state of the safety switch with a locking mechanism, and outputting an indication of an unlocked state, at least when a locked state is not formed. When the door is closed and the locking mechanism is engaged into the locked state, the openable and closeable door in the closed state is fixed in a state integrated with the partition fixing portion. Conversely, when the locking pin is removed from the actuator latch, an unlocked state is formed, and the door can be opened.

[0006] JP 2016-510382A discloses a safety switch with an electromagnetic locking mechanism as another type of safety switch. Specifically, the safety switch with the electromagnetic locking mechanism includes an electromagnet and an actuator magnetizing member attracted to the electromagnet. The actuator magnetizing member is installed in a door constituting a movable part, and the switch body including the electromagnet is installed in a partition fixed part such as a protective fence. Driving the electromagnet causes the actuator magnetizing member to be attracted to it, thereby creating a locked door state. The safety switch includes a display unit. The display unit displays the safety status of the operating area.

[0007] The safety switch with an electromagnetic locking mechanism disclosed in JP 2016-510382A includes a locking lever operated by the operator to prevent the operator from mistakenly identifying the interior of the operating area as safe (i.e., no one is in the operating area) based on the "door closed" signal and to prevent the machine from being restarted. This locking lever allows the operator to operate it only after confirming, through some method, that the operating area remains safe. Therefore, from such a point in time, it can be determined that the area is safe during the "door closed" output signal period. Once the door is opened, it is unclear whether the area is safe, even if a "door closed" output signal is subsequently issued.

[0008] JP 2016-510382A also discloses a module including a monitoring sensor and a monitoring actuator for monitoring the opening and closing of a door. The monitoring actuator is mounted in an openable and closeable door, and the monitoring sensor is mounted in a partition fixing part. When the monitoring actuator moves away from or towards the monitoring sensor according to the opening and closing of the door, which is a movable part, the monitoring sensor generates a door signal including a first state signal indicating "the door is open" or a second state signal indicating "the door is closed".

[0009] The switch body disclosed in JP 2016-510382A has an overall shape that is longer in a first axial direction orthogonal to the normal of the attracting surface. The display unit is then arranged at a position separate from the attracting surface in the first axial direction. When described by referring to the surface containing the attracting surface as the "front," the opposite surface as the "rear," and the two surfaces continuous with each side edge of the front and each side edge of the rear as "side surfaces," the attracting surface is arranged on the front in the overall shape of the switch body.

[0010] The display unit is arranged on two sides at a position away from the attraction surface in the first axial direction.

[0011] As described above, in safety measures using safety switches, the safety switches are primarily installed near openings through which people enter and exit, mainly for work-related purposes. Therefore, the safety switch becomes an obstacle for the operator. For example, when the safety switch is located in a fixed partition outside the operating area, there is an advantage: operators outside the operating area can easily identify the safety switch's display unit. However, regardless of the position of the openable and closable door, the safety switch protrudes outward from the fixed partition, which becomes an obstacle for the operator. On the other hand, when the safety switch is located inside the operating area, the deterioration of operability caused by the safety switch protruding outward from the fixed partition is eliminated, but operability deteriorates when the openable and closable door is opened. More specifically, when the safety switch is located inside the operating area, when the door, which is a movable partition, is closed, the switch body needs to be located near the actuator located on the openable and closable door. Therefore, the switch body is located in a position that occupies the area used as a door opening when the door is open. Therefore, the safety switch, including its main body, becomes a factor that narrows the area of ​​the door opening where the movable part is located, and thus, there is a possibility that the safety switch becomes an obstruction when the movable part is open (i.e., when working through the door opening). Furthermore, when the safety switch is located inside the operating area, since it is situated in the area of ​​the opening, for example, if the area corresponding to the opening of the openable and closable door is made of a transparent or semi-transparent component, and the operator observes the operating area from the outside, there is a possibility that the switch body may be difficult for the operator to see. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The purpose of this invention is to provide a safety switch with an electromagnetic lock mechanism that can prevent the operator from being obstructed.

[0013] According to the present invention, the above-mentioned technical problems are solved by providing a safety switch in which an actuator is mounted to be movable relative to a switch body, the actuator having a magnetized member having an attracted surface, the safety switch comprising: a detection unit for detecting that the actuator is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body; an electromagnet, wherein an attracting surface corresponding to the attracted surface of the actuator is formed on the front side; a lock input unit for receiving a lock signal for locking the relative movement of the actuator; a drive control unit for driving the electromagnet in a manner that causes the attracting surface and the attracted surface to attract each other based on the lock signal received by the lock input unit; a safety control unit for generating a safety signal based on the detection result of the detection unit; and a housing having a receiving portion formed on the back side of the electromagnet for accommodating the drive control unit and the safety control unit.

[0014] According to the present invention, the plate receiving portion is located on the side opposite to the electromagnet and the attraction surface, and thus the presence of the switch body can be reduced, which becomes a factor in narrowing the opening area where the movable partition is mounted. Furthermore, the switch body appears small when viewed from the outside of the partition (i.e., from the outside). That is, since the plate receiving portion of the switch body located inside the operating area is positioned away from the attraction surface when viewed from the outside, the switch body appears small when the operator observes the operating area from the outside.

[0015] According to the present invention, in a safety switch, an actuator is mounted to be movable relative to a switch body, the actuator having a magnetizable member having an attractable surface, the safety switch being characterized by comprising: a detection unit for detecting that the actuator is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body; an electromagnet, wherein an attractable surface corresponding to the attractable surface of the actuator is formed on its front side; a lock input unit for receiving a lock signal for locking the relative movement of the actuator; a drive control unit for driving the electromagnet in a manner that causes the attractable surface and the attractable surface to attract each other based on the lock signal received by the lock input unit; a safety control unit for generating a safety signal based on the detection result of the detection unit; and a housing having a receiving portion formed on the back side of the electromagnet for accommodating the drive control unit and the safety control unit, the attractable surface forming the front side of the switch body, and in a first state in which the attractable surface and the attractable surface of the magnetizable member are in contact with each other, the total length of the magnetizable member and the switch body in a direction orthogonal to the attractable surface is greater than the dimension of the housing in any direction parallel to the attractable surface.

[0016] According to the present invention, a safety switch includes: an actuator having a magnetizable member having an attracted surface; and a switch body having an attracting surface corresponding to the attracted surface. The safety switch is characterized in that the switch body includes: a detection unit for detecting that the actuator is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body; an electromagnet having the attracting surface formed on its front side; one or more control plates supplying a locking current to the electromagnet such that the attracting surface and the attracted surface attract each other; and a housing disposed on the rear side of the electromagnet for accommodating the one or more control plates. A control board; and a connector connection portion disposed in the housing, wherein the one or more control boards receive a locking signal for supplying the locking current via the connector connection portion, generate a safety signal based on the detection result of the detection unit, and output the safety signal via the connector connection portion, the attracting surface forming the front side of the switch body, and in a first state in which the attracting surface and the attracted surface of the component to be magnetized are in contact with each other, the total length of the component to be magnetized and the switch body in a direction orthogonal to the attracting surface is greater than the dimension of the housing in any direction parallel to the attracting surface.

[0017] According to the present invention, the switch body of a safety switch is used to detect that an actuator having an actuator communication unit and a magnetized member having an attracted surface is within a predetermined range, and has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction of the safety switch. The switch body of the safety switch is characterized by comprising: an electromagnet having an attracted surface corresponding to the attracted surface, the electromagnet extending in the front-rear direction; a housing having a plate receiving portion for receiving a control board in the front-rear direction and behind the electromagnet, and extending forward from the plate receiving portion; and a detection unit housed in a manner corresponding to the actuator communication unit. The housing is used to detect that the actuator is within a predetermined range; the attachment portion is used to attach the switch body to the setting position; and the display unit is located at a position visible from the side opposite to the side where the attachment portion is located, for displaying the operating state of the switch body by means of an luminescent pattern, wherein the length of the switch body in the front-rear direction is greater than the diameter of the attraction surface, and in the area occupied by the housing when viewed from the front of the electromagnet, the area on the side where the attachment portion is located relative to the center of the attraction surface is greater than the area on the side opposite to the side where the attachment portion is located relative to the center of the attraction surface.

[0018] According to the present invention, a safety switch with an electromagnetic lock mechanism includes a detection unit for detecting the opening and closing of a door to generate a safety signal, and accepting a lock signal for locking the door in a closed state. The safety switch with the electromagnetic lock mechanism is characterized by comprising an actuator and a switch body. The actuator has an actuator communication unit and a magnetizing member having an attracted surface. The switch body is used to detect that the actuator is within a predetermined range and has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction. The switch body includes: an electromagnet having an attracted surface corresponding to the attracted surface, the electromagnet extending in the front-rear direction; and a housing having a plate receiving portion for accommodating a control panel in the front-rear direction and behind the electromagnet, extending from the plate receiving portion towards... The device extends forward; the detection unit, which is housed in the housing in a manner corresponding to the actuator communication unit, is used to detect that the actuator is within a predetermined range; an attachment portion is used to attach the switch body to a set position; and a display unit is disposed in a position visible from the side opposite to the surface where the attachment portion is located, for displaying the operating state of the switch body by means of an luminescent pattern, wherein the length of the switch body in the front-rear direction is greater than the diameter of the attraction surface, and in the area occupied by the housing when viewed from the front of the electromagnet, the area on the side where the attachment portion is located relative to the center of the attraction surface is greater than the area on the side opposite to the side where the attachment portion is located relative to the center of the attraction surface.

[0019] The operational effects and other objectives of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred aspects for carrying out the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 It is a front view of a protective fence and an openable and closeable door equipped with the safety switch of the embodiment, which is configured using a safety switch with an electromagnetic locking mechanism;

[0021] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken from line II-II in the diagram;

[0022] Figure 3 These are diagrams illustrating a box-shaped device to which the present invention can be applied;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the actuator, which is a component of the safety switch in an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the switch body, another component of the safety switch used in this embodiment, as viewed from the oblique front and oblique top.

[0025] Figure 6This is a perspective view of the switch body, another component of the safety switch used in this embodiment, as viewed from the oblique front and oblique bottom.

[0026] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 The front view of the switch body shown;

[0027] Figure 8 yes Figure 5 The side view of the switch body shown;

[0028] Figure 9 yes Figure 5 The diagram shows a longitudinal cross-section of the switch body taken along its centerline.

[0029] Figure 10 The shell has been removed Figure 5 The diagram shows the switch body after removal.

[0030] Figure 11 yes Figure 5 The diagram shows the electromagnet and housing of the switch body separated and viewed from a rear-facing angle.

[0031] Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional view of the installed safety switch, viewed from inside the operating area and from an obliquely upward angle.

[0032] Figure 13 It is viewed from below. Figure 12 A 3D view of the safety switch shown;

[0033] Figure 14 This is a perspective view of the door opening frame of the protective fence and the safety switch installed in the door frame of the openable and closeable door, as viewed from the outside of the door.

[0034] Figure 15 This is a diagram used to describe the operational effects related to the arrangement of the display unit of the safety switch in the embodiment;

[0035] Figure 16 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of display units;

[0036] Figure 17 This is another example diagram used to describe the arrangement of display units;

[0037] Figure 18 This is a cross-sectional view of the display unit of the safety switch in this embodiment;

[0038] Figure 19 This is a block diagram used to describe the electrical configuration of the switch body included in the safety switch of the embodiment;

[0039] Figure 20 yes Figure 19The functional block diagram of the first MCU is shown below;

[0040] Figure 21 yes Figure 19 The functional block diagram of the second MCU is shown below;

[0041] Figure 22 It is a diagram used to specifically describe the display mode;

[0042] Figure 23 It is a diagram used to describe the preferred arrangement of the display units;

[0043] Figure 24 It is a flowchart used to describe the control performed by the first MCU and / or the second MCU;

[0044] Figure 25 This is a diagram illustrating a method for determining whether a sheet of iron is in close contact with an electromagnet;

[0045] Figure 26 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the actuator of the safety switch in the embodiment;

[0046] Figure 27 Is with Figure 26 The diagrams shown relate to the compression coil spring included in the actuator, where (A) is a plan view, (B) is a side view of the compression coil spring in an unloaded state, and (C) is a side view of the compression coil spring in a compressed state by applying a compressive force.

[0047] Figure 28 This is a diagram used to describe the process of aligning the orientation of the attracting surface and the orientation of the attracted surface in the safety switch of this embodiment, wherein (A) shows the standby state of the actuator when the door is open, (B) shows the state in the process of closing the door where the attracted surface moves forward toward the attracting surface under the attraction of the permanent magnet when the actuator approaches the electromagnet, and (C) indicates the state in which the attracted surface and the attracting surface are in close contact under the attraction of the permanent magnet.

[0048] Figure 29 It is used to describe Figure 27 The diagram shows the state changes of the actuator, where (A) is the diagram of the attracted surface (i.e., the iron plate) in the retracted position, (B) is the diagram of the iron plate in the forward position, and (C) is the diagram of the iron plate in the forward position and in an inclined state to establish parallel with the attracting surface of the electromagnet.

[0049] Figure 30 This diagram illustrates the technical meaning of the following: the sensor-side coil is arranged at a location where magnetic flux leakage is suppressed by a radially outwardly protruding portion provided on a part of the cylindrical outer surface of the yoke in the switch body included in this embodiment. Figure 30 This is a bottom view of the switch body viewed from the direction of the attraction surface;

[0050] Figure 31 It is along Figure 30 A cross-sectional view of the sensor body taken by line XXIV-XXIV in the diagram;

[0051] Figure 32 This is a diagram used to illustrate the adverse effects of magnetic flux leakage from a cylindrical switch body with a circular attraction surface on the sensor-side coil in a comparative example switch body. Figure 32 This is a bottom view of the switch body as a comparative example, viewed from the direction of the attraction surface;

[0052] Figure 33 It is along Figure 32 A cross-sectional view of the sensor body of a comparative example, taken from line XXVI-XXVI in the diagram;

[0053] Figure 34 This is a schematic diagram showing the mounting structure of the switch body installed in the door opening frame;

[0054] Figure 35 Is with Figure 34 A corresponding schematic diagram illustrating a first modified example of the mounting structure for describing the switch body; and

[0055] Figure 36 Is with Figure 34 A schematic diagram of a second variation of the mounting structure used to describe the switch body. Detailed Implementation

[0056] [Example]

[0057] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 This is an illustration of an openable and closable door and protective fence of a partition system 1, which is equipped with a safety switch with an electromagnetic lock mechanism as described in the embodiment. Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 The figure shows a cross-sectional view taken from line II-II. In the figure, the reference numeral PF indicates a protective fence, and the reference numeral PD indicates an openable and closable gate. Figure 1This is an explanatory diagram showing the partition system 1 as viewed from the outside of the operating area S, which is separated by the partition system 1. The partition system 1 includes: a protective fence PF serving as a fixed partition; a door PD constituting a movable part that is movable relative to the fixed partition; and a safety switch 100. By restricting the operation of equipment within the operating area S based on a safety-related output from the safety switch 100, the partition system 1 maintains the operating area S in a safe state. In this embodiment, the safety switch 100 is arranged in the operating area S. The protective fence PF constitutes the fixed partition of the partition system 1 for separating the operating area S for equipment operation. The opening of the door PD, which constitutes the movable part, installed relative to the fixed partition is formed by a door opening frame 2. (Reference) Figure 1 Multiple hinges 4, which are separated vertically, are provided on one side of the door PD, which constitutes the movable part, and the door PD is attached to the vertical frame portion 2a of the door opening frame 2 via these multiple hinges 4. That is to say, the door PD is a single door.

[0058] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The door PD includes a door frame 6 and a transparent panel 8 surrounded by the door frame 6. The door PD has the aforementioned hinge 4 attached to one side and a door operating part 10 attached to the other side. Figure 1 When the door operating unit 10 is operated, the latch (not shown) that is disengaged from the door opening frame 2 is opened, and the door PD can be opened.

[0059] Figure 2 The image shows the door PD in the closed state, and the door frame 6 constituting the door PD is in contact with and positioned against the door stop 110. Figure 2 In the middle, the operating area S is separated by a protective fence PF and an openable and closable door PD. Figure 2 The area on the paper is located to the right of the protective fence PF and the door PD. The safety switch 100 is arranged on the operating area S side relative to the door PD when it is in the closed state. With the door PD closed, the safety switch 100 is arranged on the operating area S side relative to the door PD, thus placing the safety switch 100 within the operating area S. (Reference) Figure 2 The safety switch 100 includes a switch body 102 and an actuator 104. The switch body 102 is fixed to the surface of the upper horizontal frame portion 2b of the door opening frame 2 on the operating area S side via a first bracket 106. The switch body 102 includes an electromagnet 130 having an attraction surface 130a. In the closed state of the door PD, the switch body 102 is mounted in the door opening frame such that the attraction surface 130a faces the door PD, in other words, faces the outside of the operating area S. Note that the arrows X, Y, and Z, indicating three mutually orthogonal directions, are in... Figure 2 It is shown in the figure, but is related to the arrangement of the safety switch 100 as will be described later.

[0060] As will be referred to later Figure 8 As described above, the switch body 102 of the safety switch 100 in the embodiment includes an electromagnet 130. Figure 9 ) and plate receiving portion 132, and plates Cb(1), Cb(2) ( Figure 9 , Figure 10 It is housed in the plate housing 132.

[0061] On the other hand, the actuator 104 is arranged on the surface of the door frame 6 on the operating area S side, and specifically, the actuator 104 is fixed to the upper frame portion 6a of the door frame 6 via the second bracket 108. Figure 2 Both door opening frame 2 and door frame 6 have closed rectangular cross sections as known structures, but as variations, door opening frame 2 and door frame 6 can have U-shaped or L-shaped cross sections.

[0062] The door PD relates to the openable and closable door described in JP 2016-510382 W. On the other hand, Figure 3 The box-shaped equipment 500, each housing the operating system, is shown. Figure 3 In the middle, three devices 500 are arranged side by side. As an example of a door PD, a double-hinged openable and closeable door 506 is attached to the respective housing 502 of each device 500, allowing the operator to manually access the device 504 installed therein. Regarding the openable and closeable door 506, a safety switch 100 may be installed in the housing device 500.

[0063] In the following text, as a typical example, we will base it on applicable Figure 1 and Figure 2 The embodiments of the invention are described using the gate PD embodiments disclosed herein. Figure 4 This is a basic front view of the actuator 104 included in the safety switch 100, and is a diagram used to describe the front shape of the actuator 104. The actuator 104 includes an iron sheet 120 as a component to be magnetized as a main component, and includes a plastic molding 122, an actuator communication unit 124, and an attachment accessory 126. The iron sheet 120 has a circular shape in the front view, and has an attracted surface 120a on the front side that is attracted to an attracted surface 130a. The diameter of the iron sheet 120 is indicated by reference numeral D1. The iron sheet 120 is attached to the plastic molding 122. The outer periphery of the iron sheet 120 is covered by the plastic molding 122, and the actuator communication unit 124 is arranged in a manner covered by the plastic molding 122. The attachment accessory 126 is provided on the side opposite to the plastic molding 122 and the iron sheet 120, and has a... Figure 4The shape extends to the left and right on the paper. In the attachment 126, a pair of attachment holes are provided in the portion viewed from the front of the actuator 104, through which screws for fastening the attachment are inserted. A pair of attachments 126 are fastened to the second bracket 108, and the actuator 104 is secured to the door PD via the second bracket 108. Figure 2 In the closed state of the door PD, the actuator 104 and the switch body 102 have the following relative positional relationship, wherein the actuator 104 is located on the surface of the door frame 6 on the operating area S side. That is, in the closed state of the door PD, the actuator 104 is mounted on the door frame 6 such that the attracted surface 120a of the iron sheet 120 is oriented towards the operating area S. On the other hand, the switch body 102 is located within the operating area S. Note that in this embodiment, the actuator 104 is fixed to the door PD via the second bracket 108, but it can be configured such that the attachment fitting 126 is directly fastened to the door frame 6 to fix the actuator 104 to the door PD.

[0064] Based on Figure 2 The arrangement example shown is used to specifically describe the arrangement example when the actuator 104 is fixed to the door PD. As described above, the actuator 104 is fixed to the upper frame portion 6a of the door frame 6. In this embodiment, the attachment fittings 126 are fixed such that the attachment holes of a pair of attachment fittings 126 of the actuator 104 are arranged side by side in the transverse direction (i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the upper frame portion 6a). In this installation example, Figure 4 The reference numeral Ha indicates the height q of the sheet metal 120, which is included in the actuator 104 and has a circular shape in the front view. Figure 2 In the installation example, the actuator 104 is fixed to the door frame 6 with its height Ha aligned with the width Wdf of the upper frame 6a. The height Ha of the actuator 104 is equal to or less than the average width Wdf of the door frame 6, which has a rectangular cross-section. Figure 2 A portion of the actuator 104 mounted on the door frame 6 may protrude into the inside of the door frame 6, i.e., into the transparent panel 8, but it is desirable that its protrusion be as small as possible. As a result, the presence of the actuator 104 that obstructs operation can be reduced.

[0065] In the safety switch 100 of this embodiment, the electromagnet 130 of the switch body 102 and the iron plate 120 of the actuator 104 serve as an electromagnetic lock mechanism. Historically, the electromagnetic lock mechanism of the safety switch was developed according to the technical concept of the locking pin mechanism described above. The design concept of the safety switch 100 having the electromagnetic lock mechanism of the embodiment will be described. Generally, when checking the function of a safety switch, the original request to maintain the operating area in a safe environment within the operating area where the operating equipment is arranged is achieved by detecting the opening and closing of the door, and the required function of the door lock is to allow the equipment to operate continuously within the operating area. Therefore, it can be said that it is sufficient for the door lock function to enable continuous operation of the equipment within the operating area. In other words, the basic requirement of the door lock function of the safety switch is to prevent the accidental opening of the openable and closable door during the operation of the equipment. This is because, when the openable and closable door is accidentally opened, the operation of the equipment is restricted to the operating area by the function of the safety switch for maintaining the operating area in a safe environment. That is, it can be said that the basic function of the door lock function required by the safety switch is to prevent the equipment from being opened in the operating area S ( Figure 2 ) or box 502 ( Figure 3 Operations in the ) are interrupted by the unexpected opening of gate PD or 506.

[0066] Traditionally, the door-locking function of safety switches has been designed to help maintain a safe operating environment. Therefore, electromagnetic lock mechanisms utilize electromagnets with strong magnetic forces, strong enough to prevent the door from opening even with relatively strong operating forces. However, from the perspective of considering the door-locking function as enabling continuous operation of the equipment rather than maintaining a safe environment, the magnetic force of the electromagnet used in safety switches with electromagnetic lock mechanisms can be the same as or weaker than in the traditional case. When an operator attempts to open the door (PD), the operating force required to open the PD can be such that it is sufficient to at least ask the operator, "Do you now wish to open the door (PD)?" to prevent accidental opening of the openable and closable door. If a certain operating force is obtained through the electromagnet to confirm the operator's intention in order to open the door (PD), accidental opening of the door (PD) can be prevented without requiring any additional operating force.

[0067] Therefore, optionally, when the magnetic force of the electromagnet 130 is set to be weaker than in conventional cases (e.g., when the door PD includes an operating part such as a door handle), the latch is released when an operating force for rotating the door handle is applied to the door handle, and an electromagnet 130 with a magnetic force stronger than the operating force used to release the latch is used. This makes it possible to prevent the operator from opening the door PD and to prevent accidental opening of the door PD. Unexpected interruptions to equipment operation caused by accidental opening of the door PD can then be avoided.

[0068] refer to Figure 5 The switch body 102 has screw holes 130c as attachments for fixing the switch body 102 to the door opening frame 2, which is a fixing part of the partition system 1. More specifically, the electromagnet 130 has a protrusion 130b that protrudes outward from the center of the attraction surface 130a, and the screw holes 130c are provided in the protrusion 130b. When referring to... Figure 2 When the arrangement example shown is described, the switch body 102 is fixed to the upper horizontal frame portion 2b of the door opening frame 2 via a first bracket 106 having an L-shaped cross-section. Figure 2 (When referring to) Figure 2 When describing the arrangement example, the protrusion 130b is positioned such that it protrudes from the upper part of the electromagnet 130, the flat top surface of the protrusion 130b forms an attachment surface, and a screw hole 130c is provided in the attachment surface. This attachment surface may be formed on the side surface of the electromagnet 130.

[0069] For example, Figure 5 Arrows X, Y, and Z indicate three mutually orthogonal directions. The directions indicated by arrows X, Y, and Z all correspond to the arrangement of the safety switch 100, and are respectively referred to as the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction. The Y-axis direction indicates the normal direction of the attraction surface 130a of the electromagnet 130. The Z-axis direction indicates a direction orthogonal to the Y-axis direction and parallel to the attraction surface 130a, and in the Z-axis direction, the protrusion 130b protrudes relative to the center of the attraction surface 130a. The X-axis direction indicates a direction parallel to the attraction surface 130a and orthogonal to the Z-axis. Figure 2 As shown, since the safety switch 100 in this embodiment is arranged such that the suction surface 130a faces the door PD in the closed state, the normal direction of the door PD in the closed state is consistent with the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the safety switch 100 in this embodiment is arranged such that the direction in which the protrusion 130b protrudes relative to the center of the suction surface 130a is orthogonal to the extension direction of the upper frame portion 6a of the door PD in the closed state and the extension direction of the upper horizontal frame portion 2b of the door opening frame 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the extension directions of the upper frame portion 6a and the upper horizontal frame portion 2b are consistent with the X-axis direction, and the direction relative to the door PD toward the operating area S (i.e., the depth direction of the operating area S) is consistent with the Y-axis direction. Note that in the following description, the direction from the closed door PD toward the suction surface 130a in the Y-axis direction and its opposite direction are sometimes referred to as "rear or backward" and "forward or forward", respectively, and the direction from the suction surface 130a toward the protrusion 130b in the Z-axis direction and its opposite direction are sometimes referred to as "upper, upper side, or above" and "lower, lower side, or below", respectively.

[0070] Figures 5 to 11 This is a diagram related to the switch body 102. Figure 5 This is a 3D view of the switch body 102. Figure 7 This is a front view. Figure 8 It's a side view. (As seen from...) Figure 8 As can be seen most clearly, the switch body 102 has a generally cylindrical shape extending in the Y-axis direction (the normal direction of the attraction surface 130a). The switch body 102 includes an electromagnet 130, which includes an attraction surface 130a forming one end face on the front side in the Y-axis direction, and a length L from the attraction surface 130a to the other end face. Figure 5 It is longer than the diameter of the attraction surface 130a. The attraction surface 130a forms the main part of the front end face of the switch body 102. Specifically, the attraction surface 130a is formed on one end face of the switch body 102. When referring to Figures 5 to 8 In a more specific description, with the housing Hg positioned around the electromagnet 130, the attraction surface 130a protrudes from the end face 132c of the housing Hg, and the attraction surface 130a forms the front end face of the switch body 102. As described above, when the door PD is closed, the attraction surface 130a faces the door PD or the actuator 104 of the door PD.

[0071] like Figure 5 As shown, the switch body 102 includes a housing Hg and a display unit 142. The housing Hg includes a plate receiving portion 132 for accommodating a plate. The display unit 142 displays a safety-related output corresponding to the output from the safety switch 100 based on the detection result of the actuator 104. A connecting portion is formed on the back side of the electromagnet 130 (i.e., on the side opposite to the attraction surface 130a in the Y-axis direction), and the electromagnet 130 and the housing Hg are connected by the connecting portion. The plate receiving portion 132 is located on the side opposite to the attraction surface 130a of the electromagnet 130 in the Y-axis direction. In other words, the plate receiving portion 132 is located behind or on the back side of the electromagnet 130. Therefore, the dimensions of the entire switch body 102 in the X-axis direction and in the Z-axis direction are unlikely to be larger than the dimensions of the electromagnet 130 in the X-axis direction and in the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, the display unit 142 is located in the housing Hg on the side opposite to the attraction surface 130a in the Y-axis direction relative to the electromagnet 130. The switch body 102 has a shape in which the dimension in the Y-axis direction is larger than both the dimensions in the X-axis direction and the dimensions in the Z-axis direction. Therefore, compared to other switch bodies that require the same capacity, the area occupied by the opening formed in the door opening frame 2 may be smaller when viewed from the front.

[0072] like Figure 6As shown, the display unit 142 is disposed in the switch body 102 at a position easily visible from the lower side opposite to the upper side where the attachment hole 130c is provided. More specifically, the switch body 102 has a generally cylindrical shape with the normal direction of the attraction surface 130a as its axis, thanks to the electromagnet 130 and the housing Hg. When the switch body 102 is considered to be generally cylindrical, the display unit 142 is configured to include a portion on the side opposite to the portion on its circumferential surface where the attachment hole 130c is provided. As a result, the display unit 142 is located at a position easily visible from the outside of the operating area S even when it is arranged inside the operating area S. Furthermore, the outer surface of the display unit 142 has a shape in which the portion below the normal of the lower outer surface slopes forward and downward. Note that in this embodiment, the switch body 102 has a generally cylindrical shape, but it can also have a generally prismatic shape thanks to the electromagnet 130 and the housing Hg. In this case, the display unit 142 is disposed on the side of the switch body 102 that has a generally prismatic shape.

[0073] Figure 7 This is a front view of the switch body 102 as seen from the front. Figure 7 The normal direction of the paper surface is parallel to the Y-axis direction. As described above, the plate receiving portion 132 is located behind the electromagnet 130. Therefore, when viewing the switch body 102 from the front, as if from... Figure 6 As can be seen, most of the housing Hg, including the plate receiving portion 132, is hidden by the electromagnet 130. Therefore, the increase in the area occupied by the switch body 102 when viewed from the front due to the housing Hg is suppressed. In this embodiment, the ratio of the area occupied by the housing Hg to the area occupied by the attraction surface 130a is small when viewed from the front. Furthermore, as will be described below, in this embodiment, the diameter D1 of the iron sheet 120 included in the actuator 104 (… Figure 4 and Figure 23 It is designed to have a diameter D2 greater than the attraction surface 130a. Figure 23 Therefore, when the electromagnet 130 attracts the iron sheet 120, most of the switch body 102 is hidden by the actuator 104 when viewed from the front.

[0074] like Figure 7As shown, in the area occupied by the housing Hg when viewed from the front, the area on the side where the screw hole 130c is located relative to the center of the attraction surface 130a is larger than the area on the opposite side. In other words, in the front view, most of the housing Hg is located above the center of the attraction surface 130a. When the switch body 102 is fixed through the screw hole 130c, a dead space is generated between the portion of the attraction surface 130a with the largest size in the X-axis direction and the door opening frame 2 to which the switch body 102 is attached. When the dead space is used as the area where the housing Hg is located, the operability through the door opening frame 2 is unlikely to deteriorate. Therefore, the housing Hg is configured such that the area occupied by the housing Hg in the front view is larger on the side where the screw hole 130c is located relative to the center of the attraction surface 130a, thereby ensuring the operability of operation through the door opening frame 2 to which the switch body 102 is arranged.

[0075] Figure 8 This is a side view of the switch body 102. The switch body 102 has a plate receiving portion 132 on the side opposite to the electromagnet 130 and the attraction surface 130a. Figure 9 The reference numeral Hg denotes the housing of the plate receiving portion 132. In the plate receiving portion 132, the connector connection portion 144 is provided on the end face 134 on the side opposite to the side where the attraction surface 130a is located in the Y-axis direction (i.e., on the rear side). Figure 8 and Figure 9 The rear end face 134 is also the end face of the switch body 102 on the side opposite to the side where the attraction surface 130a is located. The connector connection portion 144 extends along the Y-axis in a direction away from the attraction surface 130a. Since the connector connection portion 144 is provided on the end face 134 of the board receiving portion 132, it is not necessary to position the cable connected to the connector connection portion 144 around the switch body 102. Furthermore, since the connector connection portion 144 is provided on the rear end face 134 of the board receiving portion 132, at least a portion of the cable connected to the connector connection portion 144 near the connector connection portion 144 is located behind the switch body 102. Therefore, the cable reduces the possibility of deterioration in the visibility of the display unit 142 from the front. Furthermore, when the cable connected to the connector connection 144 is routed behind the switch body 102 or above the location of the screw hole 130c, the cable can be routed without being near the opening formed by the door opening frame 2, making it less likely that the operability of operations through the door opening frame 2 will be deteriorated.

[0076] Figure 9 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the switch body 102 taken along the Z-axis. Figure 10This is a diagram used to describe the arrangement of two plates Cb(1) and Cb(2) arranged in the plate receiving part 132. Figure 10 This is a perspective view of the switch body 102 as seen from the oblique front, with the housing Hg removed and the plate receiving part 132 exposed. Figure 11 It is an exploded perspective view of the electromagnet 130 and the housing Hg, and is a view of the switch body 102 viewed from the rear.

[0077] refer to Figure 10 The yoke Yk of the electromagnet 130, which will be described later, Figure 31 A portion of it is formed as a raised shape, and the protrusion 130b is formed from this raised portion, but this is not particularly limited. Although in Figure 2 In the configuration example shown, the switch body 102 is attached such that the protrusion 130b is located at the top, but the switch body 102 can also be attached such that the attachment portion 103b is located on the side.

[0078] As from Figure 5 and Figure 9 It can be seen that the protrusion 130b in the Z-axis direction has two screw holes 130c that are separated front and back (i.e., in the Y-axis direction), and the protrusion 130b is fixed to the first bracket 106 having an L-shaped cross-section using screws Sc that are screwed into the two screw holes 130c. Figure 2 ).

[0079] refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 The first plate Cb(1) and the second plate Cb(2) are housed in the plate receiving portion 132, and the first plate Cb(1) and the second plate Cb(2) are arranged in an orthogonal state. Specifically, the first plate Cb(1) is arranged in an orientation such that it has a plate surface along the Y-axis direction, and the second plate Cb(2) is arranged in an orientation such that it has a plate surface along the Z-axis direction. The second plate Cb(2) is preferably located in... Figure 9 In the state shown, it is arranged so that it is suspended downward from the rear end of the first plate Cb(1).

[0080] As described above, the switch body 102 includes at least a display unit 142. Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 8The display unit displays safety-related outputs corresponding to those output from the switch body 102. The display unit 142 is positioned visible from the side opposite to the attachment surface of the switch body 102 where the screw hole 130c, which serves as an attachment portion, is located. That is, the display unit 142 is positioned visible from the side where the attachment surface formed by the top surface of the protrusion 130b does not exist. When the switch body 102 is fixed to the door opening frame 2, the screw hole 130c is arranged and fixed such that it extends outward from the opening formed in the door opening frame 2. Therefore, the surface opposite to the attachment surface where the screw hole 130c is located is arranged facing inward towards the opening. Figure 2 In the example, the switch body 102 is fixed to the upper horizontal frame portion 2b of the door opening frame 2, and the direction from the opening to the outside is upward. Since the inside of the opening is below the upper horizontal frame portion 2b, the surface where the display unit 142 is located faces downward. In this embodiment, the switch body 102 is fixed to the frame portion of the door opening frame 2 on the side opposite to the side where the hinge 4 is located (…). Figure 1 In the case of the right frame portion on the paper (although the switch body 102 is fixed to the upper horizontal frame portion 2b of the door opening frame 2 that forms the opening), the display unit 142 is located in Figure 1 The left side of the paper. Since the display unit 142 is positioned on the side opposite to the screw hole 130c in this manner, the display unit 142 faces the side of the door opening frame 2 opposite to the frame portion to which the switch body 102 is attached (i.e., the inside of the opening). When viewing the operating area S from the outside of the door PD with the transparent plate 8, the transparent plate 8 is located inside the opening, and therefore the switch body 102 is visible from the inside of the opening. Therefore, since the display unit 142 is located inside the opening when it is fixed to the door opening frame 2, the visibility of the display unit 142 is improved.

[0081] The second plate Cb(2) is connected to the connector connection part 144, and multiple indicator lights 150 of different colors are installed on the front of the lower part of the second plate Cb(2). Figure 9 (Specifically, multiple LED elements). Multiple indicator lights (LED elements) 150 constitute the light source of the display unit 142. As is well known, the display unit 142, which is arranged on the surface of the switch body 102 mounted in the operation area S and is visible from the outside, has the function of displaying the operation status of the switch body 102 in a recognizable color.

[0082] Reference Figure 18 A variation of the arrangement of the attachment parts is explained. (Refer to...) Figure 5 The attachment hole 130c, as described above, forms an attachment surface on a surface in the Z-axis direction, but as from... Figure 18As can be seen, the attachment surface 130c-2 can be formed on a surface in the X-axis direction. This attachment surface 130c-2 is preferably formed on each of two surfaces of the switch body 102 that face each other in the X-axis direction. Similarly, in this modified example, the display unit 142 is disposed on a surface that is not the attachment surface 130c-2 (the bottom surface in the illustrated example), and therefore the display unit 142 is visible from below.

[0083] refer to Figure 9 In the plate housing 132, a limited illumination space Ls is formed by a first plate Cb(1) and a second plate Cb(2). The surface of the first plate Cb(1) extends from front to back (i.e., along the Y-axis), and the surface of the second plate Cb(2) extends along the Z-axis. Then, light from an LED 150 mounted on the second plate Cb(2) is emitted toward the limited illumination space Ls, and as a result, the light is displayed through a light-transmitting material that forms part of the display unit 142 and part of the housing Hg of the plate housing 132. Of course, the LED 150 forming the light source can be disposed on the first plate Cb(1).

[0084] Through the transparent panel 8 of the protective door PD ( Figure 2 The illumination status of display unit 142 can be seen from the outside of the protective door PD. (Refer to...) Figures 12 to 17 Describe this. Figure 12 and Figure 13 This is a diagram of the protective door PD as viewed from the operating area S side. Figure 14 This is a diagram of the operating area S as viewed from the outside of the protective door PD. (For reference...) Figure 15 The visibility of the display unit 142 is described when the switch body 102 is arranged inside the operation area S and viewed from the outside through the door PD. Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram created to illustrate the visibility of display unit 142 when viewed from outside the door PD. In the diagram, reference numeral Ey denotes the operator's eye.

[0085] like Figure 12 As shown, the first bracket 106 is provided with a portion having a smaller dimension in the Z-axis direction. Therefore, even in an environment where the ceiling surface is located directly above the first bracket 106, cables can be routed via the portion having a smaller dimension in the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, as... Figure 13 As shown, the attracted surface 120a of the actuator 104 is slightly larger than the attracted surface 130a of the electromagnet 130. Therefore, when the display unit 142 is disposed near the attracted surface 120a in the axial direction of the attracted surface 120a, there is a possibility that the visual recognition of the display unit 142 may be hindered by the actuator 104.

[0086] exist Figure 15In the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 142-1 indicates a display unit located near the attraction surface 130a of the switch body 102. That is, the distance D-1 between the attraction surface 130a and the display unit 142-1 in the Y-axis direction is relatively small. Reference numeral 142-2 indicates a display unit located at the far end of the attraction surface 130a. The distance D-2 between the attraction surface 130a and the display unit 142-2 in the Y-axis direction is relatively large. (The last sentence appears to be incomplete and possibly refers to a different document.) Figure 15 It can be understood that, as can be seen, when the display unit is arranged at the far end of the attraction surface 130a rather than near the attraction surface 130a, the display unit 142 has better visibility when viewed from the outside through the door PD, but this is optional. In this embodiment, the display unit 142 is arranged behind the center line Imd, which has a total length L of the switch body 102 in the Y-axis direction. Figure 5 The display unit 142 is positioned at the far end of the attraction surface 130a. In this embodiment, the display unit 142 is positioned behind the center line Imd, which includes a center line Imd having a length that is half the total length L of the switch body 102 in the Y-axis direction. As described above, at least a portion of the display unit 142 is positioned behind the center line Imd, thereby improving visibility from the front side of the switch body 102. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display unit is positioned away from the attraction surface 130a in the Y-axis direction, and the side surface of the electromagnet 130 is exposed. According to this configuration, both the visibility of the electromagnet 130, which needs to be repositioned when the switch body 102 is fixed, and the visibility of the display unit 142 after the switch body 102 is fixed can be achieved. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display unit 142 is configured such that the front end of the display unit 142 is located behind the center line Imd in the Y-axis direction (i.e., it is located away from the total length of the switch body 102 by half or more in the Y-axis direction relative to the attraction surface 130a). Therefore, the display unit is located only behind the switch body 102, which increases the degree of freedom of the switch body 102 when it is attached.

[0087] Figure 16 and Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating a variation of the arrangement of the display unit 142. Figure 16 The reference numeral "1 / 3Ln" in the figure indicates a first line that is 1 / 3 of the total length L of the switch body 102 in the Y-axis direction, relative to the attraction surface 130a. The display unit 142 can be arranged behind (including) the first line 1 / 3Ln of the switch body 102 (i.e., arranged at a position further away from the attraction surface 130a than the first line 1 / 3Ln (including the first line 1 / 3Ln)). Figure 17The reference numeral "2 / 3Ln" in the figures indicates a second line that is 2 / 3 of the total length L of the switch body 102 in the Y-axis direction, relative to the attraction surface 130a. The display unit 142 can be arranged behind (including) the second line 2 / 3Ln of the switch body 102. Arranging the display unit 142 in this way, including a position away from the attraction surface 130a, improves visibility from the front side of the switch. Furthermore, by appropriately separating the display unit 142 from the attraction surface 130a in this way, the electromagnet 130 can be exposed. Specifically, when the display unit 142 is arranged in… Figure 16 When the first line is shown behind the other side of the electromagnet 130, the side of the electromagnet 130 can be fully exposed.

[0088] The outer surface of the display unit 142 may have a flat cross-sectional shape in the Y-axis direction, but in this embodiment, as shown from... Figure 18 As can be seen, the outer surface of the display unit 142 has a circumferential surface with a curved cross-sectional shape. Figure 18 These are cross-sectional and schematic diagrams of display unit 142.

[0089] As from Figure 18 As can be seen, when in Figure 18 As described in the illustrated configuration, the display unit 142 extends continuously not only above the bottom but also above the left and right sides. That is, the display unit 142 has a shape that extends continuously in the circumferential direction of the switch body 102. In this way, the display unit 142 of the switch body 102 has a shape that extends continuously from the protrusion 130b on opposite sides in the Z-axis direction (i.e., from the bottom to both sides in the illustrated example), and preferably extends to half of the side surface in the Z-axis direction. Figure 2 In the illustrated arrangement example, when the switch body 102 located in the operating area S is viewed from the outside through the door PD, the display unit 142 is visible not only from below the switch body 102 but also from the side. Furthermore, even when viewed from the outside with the switch body 102, the display unit 142 is visible from both below and from the side. Figure 1 Even with different attachment postures of the switch body 102, the display unit 142 can still be easily seen from the outside.

[0090] In addition, to enhance visibility from the outside, such as from Figure 8 It can be clearly seen that the outer surface of the display unit 142 has a tapered shape extending downward toward the attraction surface 130a in the Y-axis direction. In other words, the display unit 142 has a frontal surface that slopes toward the outside of the operating area S in the door PD. When the display unit 142 has a shape that tapers toward the attraction surface 130a, the operator can easily observe the display unit 142.

[0091] The housing Hg of the plate receiving part 132 is constructed using a plastic molding. A portion of the housing Hg has a shape extending in the direction of the attraction surface 130a and surrounding a portion of the protrusion 130b of the electromagnet 130. The housing Hg has a flat top surface at approximately the same height as the top surface of the protrusion 130b. Figure 5 ).

[0092] On the body Cb (body) of the first board Cb (1), there are control circuits for generating drive signals for the electromagnet 130, power supply circuits, and communication circuits for the actuator 104. On the other hand, on the second board Cb (2), there are indicator light control circuits, etc.

[0093] refer to Figure 10 In the plate receiving portion 132, the first plate Cb(1) extending along the Y-axis has a pair of left and right plate extensions Cb(1ex) that are both long and thin and extend from the body Cb (body) located in the plate receiving portion 132 and on which control circuits are mounted, to the vicinity of the attraction surface 130a in the Y-axis direction. The pair of plate extensions Cb(1ex) are located on both sides of the protrusion 130b in the X-axis direction, and the protrusion 130b is located between the pair of plate extensions Cb(1ex). By arranging the pair of plate extensions Cb(1ex) on both sides of the protrusion 130b, the presence of the plate extensions Cb(1ex) can prevent an increase in the height dimension of the switch body 102 in the Z-axis direction. In addition, a portion of the plate extensions Cb(1ex) is arranged at a position that overlaps with the electromagnet 130 when viewed from the Z-axis direction. Therefore, the presence of the plate extensions Cb(1ex) can reduce the increase in the size of the switch body 102 in both the Z-axis and X-axis directions.

[0094] In this plate extension Cb(1ex), a sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152 is mounted at the distal end of one plate extension Cb(1ex). Figure 10The sensor-side coil 152 constitutes a detection unit for detecting the presence of the actuator 104 within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102. Since the sensor-side coil 152 is mounted at the distal end of a plate extension Cb(1ex), it can be positioned close to the attraction surface 130a in the Y-axis direction. This enhances the detection capability of the sensor-side coil 152. As is well known, the sensor-side coil 152 is arranged to correspond to the actuator communication unit 124 of the actuator 104. In this case, to enable the sensor-side coil 152 to detect the actuator communication unit 124, a housing Hg made of plastic instead of metal is used to cover the sensor-side coil 152. Therefore, in the switch body 102, in addition to the attraction surface 130a, a portion of the housing Hg also exists on the surface facing the actuator 104. In this embodiment, as described above, by arranging a portion of the housing Hg in the dead space, the operability of the door opening frame 2 on which the switch body 102 is arranged can be maintained.

[0095] For example, when referring to Figure 23 During the closing of the door PD, the metal piece 120 of the actuator 104 approaches the attraction surface 130a of the switch body 102 in conjunction with the closing operation of the door PD, and then the metal piece 120 overlaps with the attraction surface 130a of the switch body 102. The diameter D1 of the metal piece 120 (attracted surface 120a) is... Figure 4 The diameter D1 of the iron sheet 120 is designed to be larger than the diameter D2 of the attraction surface 130a. Based on the state in which the iron sheet 120 overlaps with the switch body 102 in the normal state (i.e., the normal state in which the center O1 of the iron sheet 120 and the center O2 of the attraction surface 130a are aligned), the diameter D1 of the iron sheet 120 is set relative to the diameter D2 of the attraction surface 130a such that the outer edge of the attraction surface 130a is located within the attraction surface 120a of the iron sheet 120. As a result, even when the switch body 102 and / or the actuator 104 are displaced relative to each other in an allowable manner, the switch body 102 can fix the actuator 104 with a predetermined attraction force.

[0096] When the gate PD is closed (i.e., when the sensor-side coil 152 detects the actuator communication unit), a safety-related output is output to, for example, a device for controlling the actuator installed in the operating area S. Figure 2 The control device (e.g., PLC) of the device in the first board Cb(1) is equipped with an RFID detection circuit (not shown) associated with the sensor-side coil 152, and the electromagnet 130 is controlled based on the signal from the sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152.

[0097] Figure 19This is a block diagram describing the electrical configuration of the switch body 102. The control circuit 200 of the switch body 102 includes a first MCU 202 and a second MCU 204. The first MCU 202 and the second MCU 204 communicate with each other to monitor each other.

[0098] The first MCU 202 is connected to the transmitting circuit 206. The transmitting circuit 206 is connected to the sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152. The sensor-side coil 152 is connected to the receiving circuit 208. The receiving circuit 208 is connected to both the first MCU 202 and the second MCU 204. The sensor-side coil 152 is controlled to transmit radio signals to and receive radio signals from a coil disposed in the actuator communication unit 124. The first MCU 202 drives the sensor-side coil 152 via the transmitting circuit 206 and supplies the radio signals from the sensor-side coil 152 to the actuator communication unit 124. The actuator communication unit 124 includes at least coils and circuitry, and is arranged such that... Figure 4 The coil shown is located within a portion covered by a plastic molding 122. A first MCU 202 and a second MCU 204 receive radio signals from the actuator communication unit 124 via the sensor-side coil 152 and the receiving circuit 208. The RFID detection circuit includes the sensor-side coil 152 and a response circuit. The actuator communication unit 124 may be a radio tag (RF-ID tag). The response circuit operates using the induced current generated in the sensor-side coil 152 as its power source. The response circuit demodulates the radio signals received by the sensor-side coil 152 to obtain information and also transmits radio signals (response signals) via the sensor-side coil 152.

[0099] refer to Figure 20 and Figure 21 The measurement unit 210a of the first MCU 202 and the measurement unit 210b of the second MCU 204 each measure the strength of the radio signal received from the actuator communication unit 124 via the sensor-side coil 152 and the receiving circuit 208, and estimate the distance d between the switch body 102 and the actuator 104 based on the strength of the radio signal. Figure 23The safety judgment circuit 214a of the first MCU 202 and the safety judgment circuit 214b of the second MCU 204 each determine whether the estimated distance d is equal to or less than a threshold (i.e., whether the actuator 104 is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102). In other words, the detection unit that detects that the actuator 104 is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102 is implemented by at least the sensor-side coil 152, the receiving circuit 208, and the first MCU 202 or the second MCU 204. Note that instead of the distance d, the position of the actuator 104 can be detected by using the strength of the radio signal as is. The demodulation unit 212a of the first MCU 202 and the demodulation unit 212b of the second MCU 204 demodulate the information transmitted by the radio signal from the actuator communication unit 124 received via the sensor-side coil 152 and the receiving circuit 208, respectively, and identify the actuator 104 based on this information. This information may include unique identification information.

[0100] The safety judgment circuit 214a of the first MCU 202 determines whether two conditions are met (i.e., the estimated distance d is equal to or less than a threshold and the actuator 104 is identified as a predetermined actuator) based on the measurement performed by the measurement unit 210a and the identification performed by the demodulation unit 212a, and sends the judgment result to the second MCU 204. More specifically, there are two types of judgment results: the result that both conditions are met and the result that at least one of these conditions is not met. Similarly, the safety judgment circuit 214b of the second MCU 204 determines whether two conditions are met (i.e., the estimated distance d is equal to or less than a threshold and the actuator 104 is identified as a predetermined actuator) based on the measurement performed by the measurement unit 210b and the identification performed by the demodulation unit 212b, and sends the judgment result to the first MCU 202. When the self-judgment result matches the judgment result of the second MCU, the safety judgment circuit 214a of the first MCU 202 outputs a safety-related output, which determines that the actuator 104 identified as the predetermined actuator is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102 (i.e., the gate PD is in the closed state). Similarly, when the self-judgment result matches the judgment result of the first MCU, the safety judgment circuit 214b of the second MCU 204 determines that the actuator 104 identified as the predetermined actuator is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102 (i.e., the gate PD is in the closed state). Note that, as will be described later in this embodiment, when conditions related to the signal input via the input circuit 220 are also met, the first MCU 202 and the second MCU 204 output a safety-related output via the output signal switching device (OSSD), but the safety-related output can also be output based on the radio signal received via the receiving circuit 208 and the mutual judgment result of the first MCU 202 and the second MCU 204. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the distance d between the switch body 102 and the actuator 104 is estimated and the actuator 104 is identified based on the wireless signal detected by the sensor-side coil 152. However, it can also be configured such that only the distance d is estimated without making a safety judgment related to the identification of the actuator 104, and the judgment circuit 214a or 214b outputs the judgment result related to whether the distance d is equal to or less than the threshold to other safety judgment circuits.

[0101] Return to Figure 19The input circuit 220 includes a first safety input unit 222, a second safety input unit 224, and a lock input unit 226. Another device capable of outputting safety-related outputs is connected to the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224. That is, the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224 are input circuits configured for daisy-chain connections between the switch body 102 and other devices. For example, in the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224, one terminal for outputting the safety-related output of another device is connected to the first safety input unit 222, and the other terminal for outputting the safety-related output of another device is connected to the second safety input unit 224.

[0102] The lock input unit 226 is connected to an external control device such as a safety PLC and a safety control device, receives a lock signal from the external control device for controlling the lock mechanism, and outputs the input signal to the second MCU 204. The second MCU 204 determines whether the signal input via the lock input unit 226 is an ON signal. The second MCU 204 can drive the electromagnet 130 based on the lock signal input via the lock input unit 226 to attract the electromagnet 130 to the iron plate 120 of the actuator 104. That is, the door PD is magnetically locked according to the signal input via the lock input unit 226. Note that the second MCU 204 can drive the electromagnet 130 when the signal input via the lock input unit 226 is an ON signal, or it can drive the electromagnet when it determines that another condition is met in addition to the condition that the signal input via the lock input unit 226 is an ON signal. For example, the above determination of the safety determination circuits 214a and 214b can be a condition for driving the electromagnet 130. In this case, when it is determined that the predetermined actuator 104 is in a state within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102, the drive electromagnet 130 improves the reliability of keeping the door PD in a closed state by using a lock signal output from an external control device.

[0103] The control circuit 200 includes a first OSSD 230a and a second OSSD 230b as a switching device 230. A first MCU 202 and a second MCU 204 each generate a safety signal. The first MCU 202 outputs a safety-related output as a safety signal via the first OSSD 230a, and the second MCU 204 outputs a safety-related output as a safety signal via the second OSSD 230b. Note that the external device to which the safety-related output is output via the first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b is sent, and the external control device for outputting the lock signal input via the lock input unit 226, can be the same device or different devices, and these two constitute the partition system 1.

[0104] The first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b are configured using, for example, PNP transistors. When the PNP transistor is turned on, the positive power supply is connected to the output terminal, and an ON signal is output therefrom. On the other hand, when the PNP transistor is turned off, the output terminal is grounded via a pull-down resistor, and an OFF signal is output therefrom.

[0105] OSSD monitoring circuit 232 can be connected to each of the first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b. OSSD monitoring circuit 232 is connected to the first MCU 202 and the second MCU 204. The first MCU 202 monitors the operation of the second OSSD 230b via OSSD monitoring circuit 232. The second MCU 204 monitors the operation of the first OSSD 230a via OSSD monitoring circuit 232. For example, when outputting an ON signal, the first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b each periodically switch their output signal to OFF for a very short time. If a very short OFF period can be detected during the ON signal output time period, the OSSD monitoring circuit 232 determines that the OSSD is normal; if a very short OFF period cannot be detected, the OSSD is determined to be abnormal.

[0106] Note that the situation where the OSSD monitoring circuit 232 cannot detect a minute OFF and the ON signal persists is caused, for example, by a short circuit between the output terminal and the positive power supply. In this case, safety judgment circuits 214a and 214b output control signals to output an OFF signal to the first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b, respectively. As a result, one of the first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b outputs an OFF signal for normal operation. Note that the transition of the safety-related output to OFF for monitoring the OSSD monitoring circuit 232 is set to a minute time such that the external device to which the safety-related output is output does not react to the OFF.

[0107] The power supply circuit 240 is a DC-DC converter that receives DC +24V and 0V from an external source and generates DC voltages such as DC +10V, +5V, and +3.3V. The power supply circuit 240 supplies power to all circuits requiring power, such as the control circuit 200, the sensor-side coil 152, and the display unit 142. On the other hand, if the voltage supplied from the external power source or the voltage output from the power supply circuit 240 is outside a predetermined range, there is a possibility that the control circuit 200 and other components may not operate normally. Therefore, the power monitoring circuit 242 determines whether the voltage supplied from the external power source is within a predetermined range, determines whether the voltage output from the power supply circuit 240 is within a predetermined range, and outputs the determination results to the first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b. When a determination result indicating that the power supply circuit 240 is not operating normally is input, the first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b do not set their safety-related outputs to OFF according to the control signal output from the control circuit 200. When the input indicates that the power supply circuit 240 is operating normally, the first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b each output safety-related outputs based on the control signals output from the control circuit 200.

[0108] The control circuit 200 includes an indicator control unit 252 for controlling the display unit 142, and the indicator control unit 252 of the second MCU 204 supplies at least a display status signal based on the safety-related output via the second OSSD 230b to the indicator control unit 252. Since the safety-related output via the second OSSD 230b is based at least on a detection result relating to whether the actuator 104 is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102, it can be said that the indicator control unit 252 generates status information based on the detection result relating to whether the actuator 104 is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102. (Refer to...) Figure 22 Describe the relationship between the ON or OFF of the safety-related output and the judgment results in the first MCU 202 and the second MCU 204.

[0109] Figure 22The column "Indicator Light" indicates the illumination pattern of the display unit 142 controlled based on the display status signal supplied to the indicator light control unit 252 (i.e., the status information generated by the indicator light control unit 252). The column "Status" is further subdivided into "OSSD," "Safety Input," "Lock Control Input," and "Actuator." The column "OSSD" indicates whether the safety-related output to the external control device via the first OSSD 230a and the second OSSD 230b, which are switching devices 230, is ON or OFF. Furthermore, the columns "Safety Input," "Lock Control Input," and "Actuator" indicate the decision items used when determining whether to set the safety-related output output via the switching device 230 to ON or OFF. The column "Safety Input" indicates whether the safety-related output input via the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224 is ON or OFF. The column "Lock Control Input" indicates whether the lock signal input from the external control device via the lock input unit 226 is ON or OFF. The term "actuator" indicates whether the actuator 104, identified as a predetermined actuator based on radio signals received via the sensor-side coil 152 and the receiving circuit 208, has been detected as being within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102.

[0110] like Figure 22 As shown, in this embodiment, when the safety-related outputs input via the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224 are ON, the lock signal input via the lock input unit 226 is ON, and the actuator 104 has been detected, the safety-related outputs output via the switching device 230 are set to ON. At this time, the light-emitting pattern of the display unit 142 is lit in green. Furthermore, when the actuator 104 is not detected, regardless of the safety-related outputs and lock signal input via the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224, the safety-related outputs output via the switching device 230 are set to OFF, and the light-emitting pattern of the display unit 142 is lit in red. In this embodiment, the safety switch 100 detects whether the actuator 104 is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102 to maintain the operating area S in a safe environment. When the actuator 104 is not detected, the door PD is not in a closed state, and the operating area S is not maintained as a safe environment. Therefore, regardless of the input state of other signals, the safety-related outputs output via the switching device 230 are set to OFF.

[0111] In addition to the detection by actuator 104, the safety switch 100 in this embodiment refers to the input states of various signals and determines whether to set the safety-related output output via switching device 230 to ON or OFF. At this time, compared to the detection by actuator 104, it is difficult for the operator to determine the state of the safety-related output or lock signal input via the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224. More specifically, whether actuator 104 is detected is somewhat correlated with whether the door PD is in the closed state. Therefore, if actuator 104 is not detected and the safety-related output output from switch body 102 via switching device 230 is set to OFF, the operator can easily specify the reason. On the other hand, regarding the safety-related output or lock signal input via the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224, the operator can visually confirm whether the corresponding cable is connected, but it is difficult to visually determine any state of the signal supplied via such cable. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the safety-related output output via the switching device 230 is OFF due to the input state of various signals, the light emission pattern of the display unit 142 changes according to the input state of various signals in this embodiment, so that the operator can easily specify the reason why the safety-related output output from the switch body 102 via the switching device 230 is OFF.

[0112] Note that in this embodiment, since another device capable of outputting safety-related outputs is connected to the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224, the safety-related outputs from the switch body 102 and the light-emitting pattern of the display unit 142 are based on... Figure 22 The safety-related output from the switch body 102 and the illumination pattern of the display unit 142 are changed based on the column "Security Input". However, without connecting another device, the safety-related output from the switch body 102 and the illumination pattern of the display unit 142 can be determined based on the column "Lock Control Input" and the column "Actuator". In this case, when the column "Lock Control Input" is "ON" and the column "Actuator" is "Detected", the safety-related output from the switch body 102 is set to "ON", and the illumination pattern of the display unit 142 is lit in green. Furthermore, in this case, there is no such... Figure 22 The light emission pattern of the display unit 142 shown is either "orange" or "orange flashing".

[0113] The above-mentioned control of the display unit 142 will be based on Figure 24 The flowchart shown describes the control performed by the first MCU 202 and the second MCU 204. In step S1, the sensor-side coil 152 of the switch body 102 ( Figure 19 ) and actuator communication unit 124 of actuator 104 ( Figure 4)Measure the distance d between the iron sheet 120 and the electromagnet 130. Figure 23 In the next step S2, it is determined whether the measured distance d is within a predetermined range, and if it is "yes (within the predetermined distance)", then the ID is obtained from the actuator communication unit 124 (S3).

[0114] In the next step S4, when it is confirmed that the obtained ID is consistent with the recorded ID, the process proceeds to the next step S5 to determine whether the electromagnet 130 of the switch body 102 and the iron piece 120 of the actuator 104 are in close contact with each other.

[0115] As described above, the measurement unit 210a of the first MCU 202 and the measurement unit 210b of the second MCU 204 each measure via the sensor-side coil 152 ( Figure 10 ) Received from actuator communication unit (RFID) 124 ( Figure 4 The first MCU 202 and the second MCU 204 use radio signals to estimate the distance d between the actuator 104 and the switch body 102. If the estimated distance d is within a predetermined range, an ID is obtained from the actuator communication unit 124, and it is confirmed whether the obtained ID matches the recorded ID. After confirming that the ID matches the recorded ID, it is determined whether the electromagnet 130 and the iron sheet 120 are in close contact with each other. At this time, using a different means than the means used to determine whether the distance d is within the predetermined range, the first MCU 202 and the second MCU 204 each determine whether the distance d2 between the attracting surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a is equal to or less than a threshold. When the distance d2 between the attracting surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a is equal to or less than the threshold and the lock signal input via the lock input unit 226 is ON, the second MCU 204 drives the electromagnet 130 to attract the iron sheet 120.

[0116] Reference Figure 25 The specific description relates to the judgment regarding whether the distance d2 is equal to or less than a threshold. The second MCU 204 supplies a check current to the electromagnet 130 and monitors the current flowing through the electromagnet 130 at this time. Figure 25 In diagram (A), a rectangular wave of the check current is shown. The value of the check current is less than the value of the locking current supplied to the electromagnet 130 to maintain the door PD in the closed state (i.e., to form the locked state of the safety switch 100). If a current with the same value as the locking current is used for checking, even if the lock signal is not ON, the electromagnet 130 will attract the metal piece 120 with an attractive force sufficient to keep the door PD in the closed state, thereby hindering the operation of opening the door PD and degrading the operator's workability. In this respect, when the value of the check current is set to a value less than the value of the locking current (especially when it is set to a weak value such that the electromagnet 130 hardly exhibits any attractive force), the operator's workability can be maintained.

[0117] exist Figure 25 In diagram (B), it is shown that when the electromagnet 130 and the iron sheet 120 are not in close contact with each other (i.e., when the distance d2 between the attracting surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a is greater than a threshold), the flow to the electromagnet 130 is such that it interacts with the iron sheet 120a. Figure 25 The monitoring current corresponding to the check current of the rectangular wave in (A). Figure 25 In diagram (C), it is shown that when the electromagnet 130 and the iron sheet 120 are in close contact with each other (i.e., when the distance d2 between the attracting surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a is equal to or less than a threshold), the flow to the electromagnet 130 is... Figure 25 The monitoring current corresponding to the check current of the rectangular wave in (A). For example, from... Figure 25 A comparison between (B) and (C) shows that the inductance is higher when the electromagnet 130 and the iron sheet 120 are in close contact with each other (i.e., when the distance d2 between the attracting surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a is equal to or less than the threshold). Therefore, the time interval from when the current supply is checked to when the monitored current value reaches a certain value is increased.

[0118] If there is a difference in the value of the current flowing through the electromagnet 130 during the time period from when the current supply was first checked until the monitored current value reaches a certain value, then there is a difference in the value of the current flowing through the electromagnet 130 during a time period after the current supply was first checked. In order to... Figure 25 A comparison is made between (B) and (C). The time elapsed from the start of supplying the check current to the electromagnet 130 is designated as the check confirmation time. The monitoring current flowing through the electromagnet 130 at the check confirmation time is the value of the current when the distance d2 between the attracting surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a is greater than a threshold. Figure 25 The first monitoring current value I1 is shown in (B). Furthermore, the monitoring current flowing through the electromagnet 130 when the distance d2 between the attracting surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a is equal to or less than a threshold value is the current value at the check confirmation timing. Figure 25 The second monitoring current value I2 is shown in (C). When comparing the first monitoring current value I1 and the second monitoring current value I2, the first monitoring current value I1 is larger. That is, the monitoring current that reaches a certain value within a short period of time from the point when the inspection current was supplied (C). Figure 25 (B) (in other words, the monitoring current with higher responsiveness) and the monitoring current with lower responsiveness ( Figure 25Compared to (C), the current value is larger during the check confirmation timing. Therefore, by comparing the value of the monitoring current during the check confirmation timing, it is possible to determine whether the responsiveness of the monitoring current flowing through the electromagnet 130 is high or low, whether the inductance associated with the responsiveness level is high or low, and whether the distance d2 between the attracting surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a, which is associated with the magnitude of the inductance, is long or short. More specifically, a threshold value for the current value is set at least between the first monitoring current value I1 and the second monitoring current value I2, such that the magnitude relationship between the distance d2 and the threshold value can be determined, and whether the distance d2 is greater than, equal to, or less than the threshold value is determined based on whether the monitoring current value during the check confirmation timing is greater than, equal to, or less than the threshold value. That is, it is determined whether the attracting surface 130a of the electromagnet 130 and the attracted surface 120a of the iron sheet 120 are in close contact with each other.

[0119] return Figure 24 When it is determined in step S5 that the electromagnet 130 and the iron sheet 120 are in close contact with each other, the process proceeds to step S6 to confirm whether the lock input is an ON signal. If it is "yes" (i.e., an ON signal), the process proceeds to step S7 to drive the electromagnet 130.

[0120] Step S8 is performed when the switch body 102 in this embodiment is connected to another device capable of outputting a safety-related output. More specifically, step S8 is performed when the terminal through which the safety-related output of the other device is output is connected to the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224. Since, as described above, the safety-related output from the other device is input to the first safety input unit 222 and the second safety input unit 224 in this embodiment, step S8 determines whether the safety-related output from the other device is an ON signal. If it is "yes", the safety-related output is an ON signal, and the display unit 142 is lit in green (S10). If it is "no" in step S8, the safety-related output is an OFF signal, and the display unit 142 is lit in orange (S11). As described above, in this embodiment, the display unit 142 illuminates in red when the actuator 104 is not detected normally, or in green when the switch body 102 sets the safety-related output to an ON signal. That is, when using a single safety switch 100, the state of the safety switch 100 can be monitored using both red and green colors. On the other hand, when a safety switch 100 is used in combination with another device capable of outputting safety-related information, the light emission color of the display unit 142 increases. Since the safety-related output of the other device is not an ON signal, the increased light emission color is assigned to the color indicating that the safety-related output from the safety switch 100 is an OFF signal. Therefore, when a safety switch 100 is used in combination with another device capable of outputting safety-related information, it is easy to identify factors indicating that the safety-related output from the safety switch 100 is an OFF signal.

[0121] If the result in step S6 is "No", the process proceeds to step S12. The judgment in step S12 is similar to that in step S8. If the result in step S12 is "Yes", the safety-related output is set to OFF, and the display unit 142 flashes green in step S13. If the result in step S12 is "No", the safety-related output is set to OFF, and the display unit 142 flashes orange (S14). In this way, when the lock input is OFF, the light pattern of the display unit 142 is set to flash, so that the driving state of the electromagnet 130 can be known to distinguish it from the state of the safety-related output of another device. Although the control of the first MCU 202 has been described above, the output to the display unit 142 is performed after verifying the judgment result of the first MCU 202 and the judgment result of the second MCU 204.

[0122] Figure 26 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of actuator 104, which shows a preferred embodiment of actuator 104. Figure 26The actuator 104 is shown attached to the door PD, in which the door frame 6 is attached parallel to the door opening frame 2, and the switch body 102 is attached to the door PD. Figure 2 The pattern is attached to the door opening frame 2. Therefore, the normal direction of the door frame 6 (PD) coincides with the Y-axis direction, which is the normal direction of the attraction surface 130a of the electromagnet 130 included in the switch body 102. Furthermore, Figure 26 The actuator 104 is positioned such that the normal direction of the attracted surface 120a of the iron sheet 120 included in the actuator 104 is aligned with the Y-axis direction. The actuator 104 may have a structure where the iron sheet 120 is fixed to the attachment 126, but in... Figure 26 In the actuator 104 shown, the metal plate 120 is movable relative to the attachment 126.

[0123] refer to Figure 26 The aforementioned attachment 126 forms the base component of the actuator 104. The attachment 126 has a U-shaped cross-section with flanges at both ends and includes a through-hole 126a at the center of its flat top. The actuator 104 includes a movable pin 320 inserted into the through-hole 126a of the attachment 126, and one end of the movable pin 320 is fixed to a metal plate 120. The metal plate 120 has a permanent magnet 120b with a circular shape in the front view at the center of the attracted surface 120a. The movable pin 320, inserted into the through-hole 126a of the attachment 126, is movable relative to the attachment 126 in the axial direction of the movable pin 320. This configuration provides a mechanism for moving the attracted surface 120a relative to the attachment 126.

[0124] The movable pin 320 includes a pin head 320a at one end located on the attachment side 126. The movable pin 320 is inserted into a sleeve 322. The sleeve 322 has a length in the axial direction of the movable pin 320 and has a first end flange 322a and a second end flange 322b extending radially outward and circumferentially. The first end flange 322a and the second end flange 322b of the sleeve 322 are used to set a constant position of the sheet 120 relative to the movable pin 320, and the sheet 120, the movable pin 320, and the sleeve 322 are movable relative to the attachment 126.

[0125] Since the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 322 is guided into the through hole 126a, the movable pin 320 and the sleeve 322 can move in the axial direction of the movable pin 320. The sleeve 322 has a guiding function for guiding the movement of the movable pin 320 in the axial direction. The movable pin 320 can also swing together with the sleeve 322 within the through hole 126a. That is, the diameter of the sleeve 322 is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 126a, and the sleeve 322 fits loosely into the through hole 126a. With this configuration, a swinging mechanism for swinging the attracted surface 120a is configured.

[0126] A compression coil spring 324 is provided between the first end flange 322a of the sleeve 322 and the attachment fitting 126. The compression coil spring 324 constitutes a force-applying unit that applies force to the movable pin 320 and the attracted surface 120a in the direction close to the door frame 6.

[0127] exist Figure 27 In the diagram, (A) is a plan view of the compression coil spring 324. Figure 27 In the image, (B) is a side view of the compressed helical spring 324 under no-load conditions. Figure 27 In the middle, (C) is a side view of the compressed coil spring 324 under a load. (See diagram from...) Figure 27 As can be seen from (A), the compression coil spring 324 is configured using a spiral spring with a trapezoidal shape whose diameter gradually decreases in the axial direction in the side view. In the compressed state, the compression coil spring 324 with the spiral shape can have a flat shape in the side view. Therefore, the range of movement when the movable pin 320 moves extends in the direction in which the compression coil spring 324 is compressed.

[0128] In this embodiment, Figure 26 The state of the actuator 104 shown (i.e., the state in which the iron piece 120 is moved in the direction close to the door frame 6 (in other words, away from the electromagnet 130) by compressing the coil spring 324) is defined as the standby state, and the position of the iron piece 120 in this state is defined as the standby position. The standby position of the iron piece 120 corresponds to the position created by the actuator 104. Figure 23 The double-dotted line indicates the position of the iron sheet 120. Note that variations of the compression coil spring 324 may include elastomers such as disc springs or rubber.

[0129] A buffer member 326 is provided between the second end flange 322b of the sleeve 322 and the attachment 126 and the iron plate 120. Figure 26 As will be described later, the impact when the iron sheet 120 overlaps with the attraction surface 130a of the electromagnet 130 due to the attraction of the permanent magnet 120b, can be mitigated by compressing the helical spring 324 and the buffer member 326.

[0130] Figure 28 This is a diagram used to describe the operation of actuator 104. Figure 28 In the diagram, (A) shows the actuator 104 in standby mode, and corresponds to... Figure 26 .

[0131] exist Figure 28In diagram (B), it is shown that during the process of changing the door PD from an open state to a closed state (i.e., during the process of the operator closing the door PD), when the door PD is closed, the actuator 104 is close to the attraction surface 130a of the electromagnet 130 included in the switch body 102. At this time, the electromagnet 130 is not driven. Figure 28 As shown in (B), when the actuator 104 approaches the electromagnet 130, the attractive force of the permanent magnet 120b included in the actuator 104 acts on the attractive surface 130a of the electromagnet 130. When the attractive force becomes greater than the spring force of the compression coil spring 324, the compression coil spring 324 begins to compress. Then, under the attractive force of the permanent magnet 120b, the movable pin 320 and the iron plate 120 move together with the plastic molding 122 in a direction away from the door frame 6 (i.e., in a direction close to the attractive surface 130a). Therefore, for example, when the door PD is closed and the distance between the actuator 104 and the switch body 102 falls within a certain range, the movable pin 320 and the iron plate 120 move together with the plastic molding 122 in a direction close to the attractive surface 130a along the Y-axis.

[0132] exist Figure 28 In diagram (C), it is shown that the attracted surface 120a and the attracting surface 130a are brought into close contact with each other by the attractive force of the permanent magnet 120b through the process described in (B). A threshold is set for the distance d such that the distance d estimated based on the strength of the radio signal received from the actuator communication unit 124 via the sensor-side coil 152 is equal to or less than the threshold in this state (i.e., such that the actuator communication unit 124 determines in this state that the actuator 104 is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102). Furthermore, in Figure 28In state (C), the second MCU 204 supplies a detection current to the electromagnet 130 and monitors the current flowing through the electromagnet 130 to determine whether the attracted surface 120a and the attracting surface 130a are in close contact with each other. When it is determined that the attracted surface 120a and the attracting surface 130a are in close contact with each other, the second MCU 204 drives the electromagnet 130 to attract the iron piece 120, thereby maintaining the closed state of the door PD. Note that in this embodiment, the iron piece 120 moves towards the attracting surface 130a by the attraction force of the permanent magnet 120b included in the actuator 104, so that the attracting surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a are in close contact with each other when the door PD is closed. However, the movement of the iron piece 120 towards the attracting surface 130a can be implemented by another unit. For example, it can be configured such that when the door PD is set to the closed state (i.e., when the door PD is closed), the iron piece 120 moves towards the attracting surface 130a by inertia. Furthermore, the electromagnet 130 can be configured such that the electromagnet 130 is driven to generate an attractive force weaker than the attractive force used to maintain the closed state of the door PD, and the iron sheet 120 moves toward the attraction surface 130a by the attractive force.

[0133] Figure 29 This is a cross-sectional view used to describe the state changes of actuator 104. Figure 29 In the middle, (A) corresponds to Figure 26 And actuator 104 is in standby mode. Figure 29 In diagram (B), it is shown that the metal plate 120 of actuator 104 has advanced to the maximum value to be set at the maximum operating position (i.e., the movable pin 320 is set at the maximum stroke position of displacement in the axial direction (i.e., the Y-axis direction)). This state can be generated by the attractive force of permanent magnet 120b. Figure 29 In diagram (C), it is used to describe the state in which the attracted surface 120a is parallel to the attracted surface 130a when the iron sheet 120 can swing to achieve the state when the iron sheet 120 and the attracted surface 130a overlap each other under the attraction of the permanent magnet 120b. The parallel state between the attracted surface 120a and the attracted surface 130a is established by swinging (i.e., tilting motion of the axis Ax of the movable pin 320).

[0134] As described above, the actuator communication unit 124 is disposed in the plastic molding 122 surrounding the outer periphery of the iron sheet 120. Figure 3 On the other hand, the sensor-side coil 152 is disposed in the switch body 102. Figure 10 Based on the strength of the radio signal received from the actuator communication unit 124 via the sensor-side coil 152, it is determined whether the actuator 104 is within a predetermined range relative to the switch body 102, that is, whether the distance d is equal to or less than a threshold.

[0135] However, when the switch body 102 is arranged with the electromagnet 130 and the sensor-side coil 152 close to each other, there is a possibility that magnetic flux leakage from the electromagnet 130 may affect the strength of the radio signal received from the actuator communication unit 124 via the sensor-side coil 152. Specifically, in this embodiment, since the diameter D1 of the attracted surface 120a is set to be larger than the diameter D2 of the attracted surface 130a, the sensor-side coil 152 and the coil included in the actuator communication unit 124 face each other in such a position that, when viewed from the normal direction of the attracted surface 120a while the attracted surface 130a and the attracted surface 120a are in contact, at least a portion of the sensor-side coil 152 located near the electromagnet 130 overlaps with the attracted surface 120a. Therefore, magnetic flux leakage may occur, affecting the strength of the radio signal received via the sensor-side coil 152. To reduce the impact of magnetic flux leakage on the radio signal, the electromagnet in this embodiment has... Figure 30 The configuration shown is as follows. As is well known, the electromagnet 130 includes a core 140a and a cylindrical yoke Yk surrounding the core. The core 140a and the yoke Yk can be formed separately, but in this embodiment, the core 140a and the yoke Yk are integrally formed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the aforementioned protrusion 130b is formed together with a portion of the yoke Yk. That is, the yoke Yk has a shape in which a portion of it protrudes radially outward in the circumferential direction. As a variation, in the switch body 102, an attachment portion for attaching the switch body 102 can be provided separately from the protrusion 130b that causes a portion of the yoke Yk to protrude radially outward.

[0136] The yoke Yk has the function of increasing the attractive force by the magnetic flux output from the electromagnet 130. Figure 31 It is along Figure 30 The cross-sectional view taken from line XXIII-XXIII in the diagram. Figure 31 The dashed arrow 190 indicates the magnetic flux leaking from electromagnet 130. Figure 31 In the diagram, reference numeral 140a indicates the core. Magnetic wire is wound around the core 140a. Figure 31In the diagram, the portion located on the outer periphery of the core 140a and the yoke Yk is depicted as a gap 140b, but it is well known that magnetic conductors are located within the portion of the gap 140b. When the electromagnet 130 attracts the actuator 104, the electromagnet 130 and the actuator 104 form a magnetic circuit. Magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit is indicated by black-filled arrows. The magnetic flux generated from the core 140a is generated to be approximately uniform in the circumferential direction of the yoke Yk. Furthermore, when the density of magnetic flux through the yoke Yk is high, it is known that the magnetic flux leaks from the yoke Yk. When the protrusion 130b is set as part of the yoke Yk, the portion of the yoke Yk in which the protrusion 130b is set in the circumferential direction has a larger cross-sectional area than other portions in the circumferential direction. Therefore, in the yoke Yk, the magnetic flux density of the portion in which the protrusion 130b is set in the circumferential direction is relatively low compared to the magnetic flux density of other portions, and as a result, magnetic flux leakage near the protrusion 130b is reduced.

[0137] The sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152 is arranged near the protrusion 130b. A preferred arrangement of the sensor-side coil 152 will be described in detail. (See reference...) Figure 30 If the outer periphery of the attraction surface 130a is divided into four regions by a first center line CL1 that passes through the center O2 of the attraction surface 130a and the center line of the protrusion 130b, and a second center line CL2 that passes through the center O2 and is orthogonal to the first center line CL1, then in the illustrated example, the sensor-side coil 152 is arranged in the first quadrant on one side of the protrusion 130b. Of course, the sensor-side coil 152 can be arranged in the second quadrant on the other side of the protrusion 130b. Furthermore, the sensor-side coil 152 is arranged to be closer to the attraction surface 130a than the first tangent TL1 that is orthogonal to the first center line CL1 and contacts the top surface of the protrusion 130b, and to be closer to the attraction surface 130a than the second tangent TL2 that is orthogonal to the second center line CL2 and contacts the outer circumference of the attraction surface 130a.

[0138] To illustrate the advantages of arranging the sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152 near the protrusion 130b, the following will be described. Figure 32 and Figure 33 The electromagnet 400 shown is a comparative example. Figure 32 This is a diagram of a comparative example electromagnet 400 as viewed from the attraction surface 400a side. The yoke Yk has the same thickness in the circumferential direction. Figure 33 It is along Figure 32 The figure shows a cross-sectional view taken from line XXV-XXV. In the figure, reference numeral 402 indicates the core. (See reference...) Figure 33In the comparative example, electromagnet 400 attracts actuator 410 to form a magnetic circuit with actuator 410. Magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit is indicated by arrows filled with black. In a magnetic circuit with this structure, magnetic flux leakage occurs in the outer periphery of the yoke Yk. Magnetic flux leakage is indicated by arrow 190 drawn with a dashed line.

[0139] In the case where a sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152 is arranged near the electromagnet 400 on the outer circumference of the electromagnet 400 in the comparative example, the sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152 is affected by the magnetic flux 190 leaking from the yoke Yk. Figure 33 Furthermore, the leaked magnetic flux 190 affects the signal strength detected by the sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152.

[0140] Returning to the relevant embodiment Figure 30 and Figure 31 The protrusion 130b, which forms part of the yoke Yk, is relatively thick, and as a result, magnetic flux leakage is unlikely to occur near the protrusion 130b. When the sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152 is arranged in this way near the protrusion 130b where magnetic flux leakage is almost nonexistent ( Figure 30 This can reduce the impact of magnetic flux leakage on the signal strength detected by the sensor-side coil (antenna coil) 152.

[0141] As described above, the protrusion 130b has the function of reducing the magnetic flux density in the portion where the protrusion 130b is provided. Generally, the attractive force of a magnet varies depending on the magnetic flux density of the surface in contact with the object being attracted. Therefore, the electromagnet 130 is shaped such that when the electromagnet 130 has attracted the iron sheet 120, a gap Gp is ​​formed between the iron sheet 120 and the protrusion 130b. Figure 31 In the portion of the yoke Yk where the protrusion 130b is located, the gap Gp allows the area in contact with the iron sheet 120 to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the portion where the protrusion 130b is located in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, by providing the protrusion 130b, the decrease in magnetic flux density in the portion in contact with the iron sheet 120 can be suppressed, thereby maintaining the attractive force of the electromagnet 130. In other words, the attractive force can be effectively stabilized by the gap Gp. The gap Gp can be formed by designing a protrusion (protrusion 130b) with a relatively large thickness positioned in the Y-axis direction at a position retracted from the attractive surface 130a. Figure 31 Furthermore, by forming a gap Gp in the electromagnet 130 of this embodiment, the yoke Yk has substantially the same thickness in the circumferential direction, and therefore, the magnetic flux density in the circumferential direction at the location where the yoke Yk contacts the iron sheet 120 is configured to be the same. As a result, the attraction of the electromagnet 130 to the actuator 104 can be further stabilized.

[0142] Figures 34 to 36 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a switch body 102 attached to a door opening frame 2. In the figure, reference numeral 350 indicates a leveling member configured to adjust the height of the switch body 102. Figure 34 An example is shown where the switch body 102 is fixed to the horizontal adjustment member 350 and the switch body 102 is fixed to the first bracket 106 via the horizontal adjustment member 350. Figure 35 yes Figure 34 In a modified example, an intermediate metal plate 132a connected to the electromagnet 130 is inserted between the electromagnet 130 and the plate receiving portion 132, and the switch body 102 is screwed to the intermediate metal plate 132a. When the attachment for fixing the switch body 102 to the first bracket 106 is arranged in this way in front of the housing Hg forming the plate receiving portion 132, the housing Hg is hardly affected by the impact caused by the actuator 104 abutting against the electromagnet 130. Therefore, even if the housing Hg is made of relatively inexpensive resin, it can still achieve the desired effect. Figure 35 The shell Hg is shown to be formed into a shape that is long in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, Figure 36 yes Figure 34 A modified example is shown below, in which at least the upper part of the plate receiving portion 132 is formed with a metal housing 352, the switch body 102 is screwed to the metal housing 352 of the plate receiving portion 132, and then the switch body 102 is fixed to the first bracket 106 via a horizontal adjustment member 350. The metal housing 352 is connected to the electromagnet 130. In this modified example, by providing a metal housing 352 with an attachment portion forming the plate receiving portion 132, the impact caused by the actuator 104 abutting against the electromagnet is resisted, thereby improving the durability of the switch body 102. Figure 35 The first variant shown and Figure 36 In the second variation shown, plate Cb can adopt a floating support structure, but it can be filled with resin.

[0143] Reference Figure 34(This is a schematic diagram) When describing the safety switch 100, the length L of the switch body 102 in the Y-axis direction is greater than the diameter of the attraction surface 130a. In an electromagnet with a certain current applied, the strength of the electromagnet's attraction is proportional to the number of coil windings. Therefore, in order to achieve a certain attraction without increasing the diameter of the attraction surface 130a, the electromagnet 130 in this embodiment has a certain length in the front-rear direction. With a limitation on the length of the entire switch body 102 in the front-rear direction (i.e., the Y-axis direction), it becomes more difficult to form a receiving portion behind the electromagnet 130 as the size of the electromagnet 130 in the front-rear direction increases. According to the configuration that the length L of the switch body 102 in the Y-axis direction is greater than the diameter of the attraction surface 130a, the housing Hg with the receiving portion can be arranged behind the electromagnet 130, thereby reducing the area occupied by the switch body 102 in the opening. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the total length L0 of the switch body 102 and the actuator 104 is designed to be greater than the diameter of the attraction surface 130a in the Y-axis direction.

Claims

1. A switch body for detecting that an actuator having an actuator communication unit and a magnetized member having an attracted surface is within a predetermined range, and having an elongated shape in the front-rear direction of the safety switch, the switch body of the safety switch being characterized in that it comprises: An electromagnet having an attraction surface corresponding to the attracted surface, and the electromagnet extending in the front-back direction; A housing having a plate receiving portion for accommodating a control board in the front-rear direction and behind the electromagnet, and extending forward from the plate receiving portion; A detection unit, which is housed in the housing in a manner corresponding to the actuator communication unit, is used to detect that the actuator is within a predetermined range; An attachment portion for attaching the switch body to a mounting position; as well as The display unit, located in a position visible from the side opposite to where the attachment portion is located, is used to display the operating state of the switch body through an luminescent pattern. The length of the switch body in the front-to-back direction is greater than the diameter of the attraction surface. When viewed from the front of the electromagnet, the area occupied by the housing is larger on the side where the attachment is located relative to the center of the attraction surface than on the side opposite to the side where the attachment is located relative to the center of the attraction surface.

2. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 1, wherein, When viewed from the front of the electromagnet, the ratio of the area occupied by the housing to the area occupied by the attraction surface is small.

3. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 1, wherein, Within the housing, the display unit is located behind the electromagnet in the front-back direction.

4. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 1, wherein, The display unit is arranged behind the center line, which has half the total length of the switch body in the front-back direction.

5. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 1, wherein, The display unit has a curved cross-sectional shape and extends to both sides of the switch body.

6. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 5, wherein, The display unit also has a surface that is inclined toward the attraction surface.

7. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 1, wherein, The detection unit has an antenna coil that transmits and receives wireless signals between itself and the actuator coil disposed between the actuator and the actuator.

8. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 7, wherein, The antenna coil is positioned facing the actuator coil with the attracting surface of the electromagnet and the attracted surface of the magnetizing member in contact.

9. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 1, wherein, The electromagnet has a core and a cylindrical yoke surrounding the core.

10. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 9, wherein, At least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical yoke of the electromagnet is exposed externally.

11. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 1, wherein, The rear end face of the housing on the side opposite to the attraction surface includes a connector connection portion extending in a direction away from the attraction surface.

12. The switch body of the safety switch according to claim 1, wherein, A plate extension portion is provided in the housing, extending forward from the plate receiving portion through the side of the electromagnet. The detection unit is disposed on the extension of the plate.

13. A safety switch with an electromagnetic lock mechanism, comprising a detection unit for detecting the opening and closing of a door to generate a safety signal, and receiving a lock signal for locking the door in a closed state, characterized in that... It includes an actuator and a switch body. The actuator has an actuator communication unit and a magnetized member with an attracted surface. The switch body is used to detect that the actuator is within a predetermined range and has an elongated shape in the front-to-back direction. The switch body has: An electromagnet having an attraction surface corresponding to the attracted surface, and the electromagnet extending in the front-back direction; A housing having a plate receiving portion for accommodating a control board in the front-rear direction and behind the electromagnet, and extending forward from the plate receiving portion; The detection unit, which is housed in the housing in a manner corresponding to the actuator communication unit, is used to detect that the actuator is within a predetermined range; An attachment portion for attaching the switch body to a mounting position; as well as The display unit, located in a position visible from the side opposite to where the attachment portion is located, is used to display the operating state of the switch body through an luminescent pattern. The length of the switch body in the front-to-back direction is greater than the diameter of the attraction surface. When viewed from the front of the electromagnet, the area occupied by the housing is larger on the side where the attachment is located relative to the center of the attraction surface than on the side opposite to the side where the attachment is located relative to the center of the attraction surface.

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