Safety switching device

Abstract

Safety switching device (1) comprising the following: a device main body (2); and a movable section (3) that is capable of moving in a predetermined direction of movement relative to the main body of the device (2), wherein the device main body (2) is provided with a back surface support section having a support surface (7a) that supports a back surface of a portable terminal device, and a main body side holding section (8) that forces a side of the portable terminal device into a state in which the portable terminal device is supported by the back surface support section, the movable section (3) is provided with a retaining section (17) on the side of the movable section, which is in a position opposite to the main body side retaining section (8) in the direction of movement and which pushes the other side of the portable terminal, Each of the main body side holding section (8) and holding section (17) on the side of the movable section is provided with an inclined surface (14, 20) that comes into close contact with one side or the other side of the portable terminal, each of the inclined surfaces (14, 20) inclines in a direction in which the inclined surfaces (14, 20) approach each other in the direction of movement as they move away from the support surface (7a) in a direction perpendicular to the support surface (7a), and a processing is carried out which causes an area of ​​the support surface (7a) to have a coefficient of friction that is higher than that of surfaces of other sections of the device main body (2), wherein the area comes into close contact with the back surface of the portable terminal, wherein the main body side retaining section (8) is provided with a main body side base section extending in a transverse direction with respect to the support surface (7a) and a first elastic element attached to the main body side base section, wherein the holding section (17) on the side of the movable section is provided with a base section on the side of the movable section which extends in a transverse direction with respect to the support surface (7a) and a second elastic element which is attached to the base section on the side of the movable section, wherein the inclined surfaces (14, 20) are provided on the first elastic element and the second elastic element, wherein the first elastic element is detachably attached to the main body side base section, and the second elastic element is detachably attached to the base section on the side of the movable section, and wherein each of the main body-side base section and base section on the side of the movable section is provided with a projecting section extending in a direction in which the projecting sections approach each other along the direction of movement, and hook sections extending from an outer surface of the projecting section in a direction in which the hook sections approach the support surface (7a), and a recessed section with a shape into which the protruding section and the hook section are fitted, is provided in each of the first elastic element and second elastic element.

Description

[0001] There exists a known robot operating unit that is detachably attached to a commercially available portable device and represents a teaching device for the robot (see, for example, PTL 1).

[0002] This robot operating unit includes an operating unit main body with an emergency stop switch or similar and a mounting device that attaches the operating unit main body to the portable terminal.

[0003] {PTL 1} Japanese patent application with publication number JP 2017 - 202 550 A. Further relevant prior art includes EP 3 582 473 A1, US 2008 / 0 296 449 A1, US 2006 / 0 285 306 A1, US 2003 / 0 034 429 A1, US 5 7 88 202 A and JP 2014 - 033 316 A.

[0004] A fastening device is provided which is movable in a lateral direction of a portable terminal relative to an operating unit main body in order to attach the operating unit main body to various portable terminals of different sizes, and the portable terminal is inserted between the operating unit main body and the fastening device by means of spring force of a coil spring.

[0005] The portable terminal attached to the operating unit is not held directly by the operator, but is operated in a state where the portable terminal is held indirectly by holding the operating unit. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention that the portable terminal is not only immovable in the direction in which it is clamped between the main body of the operating unit and the mounting, but also in a three-dimensional direction relative to the operating unit when the portable terminal is operated by the operator. This object is achieved by the subject matter of claim 1.

[0006] One aspect of this disclosure is a safety switching device comprising a device main body and a movable section capable of moving in a predetermined direction of movement relative to the device main body, wherein the device main body is provided with a back-surface support section having a support surface that supports a back surface of a portable terminal device, and a main-body side-holding section that forces one side of the portable terminal device into a state in which the portable terminal device is supported by the back-surface support section, and the movable section is provided with a holding section on the side of the movable section that is in a position opposite to the main-body side-holding section in the direction of movement and that forces the other side of the portable terminal device.wherein each main body-side holding section and holding section on the side of the movable section is provided with an inclined surface that comes into close contact with one side or the other side of the portable terminal, each of the inclined surfaces inclined in a direction in which the inclined surfaces approach each other in the direction of movement as they move away from the support surface in a direction perpendicular to the support surface, and wherein processing is carried out which causes an area of ​​the support surface to have a coefficient of friction that is higher than that of surfaces of other sections of the device main body, the area coming into close contact with the back surface of the portable terminal. { Fig. 1} Fig. Figure 1 is a front view showing a safety switching device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. { Fig. 2} Fig. 2 is a side view of the safety switching device according to Fig. 1. { Fig. 3} Fig. 3 is a rear view of the safety switching device according to Fig. 1. { Fig. 4} Fig. Figure 4 is a rear view showing a state in which a device main body of the safety switching device is held by an operator. { Fig. 5} Fig. 5 is a partially enlarged view showing a first holding section of the safety switching device after Fig. 1 shows. { Fig. 6} Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the back side of a first elastic element located in the first holding section after Fig. 5 is provided, it shows. { Fig. 7} Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective view that illustrates that the first holding section of the first elastic element is after Fig. 6 is attached to a protruding contact surface. { Fig. 8} Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing part of the first holding section after Fig. 5 shows. { Fig. 9} Fig. 9 is an enlarged view showing a second holding section of the safety switching device after Fig. 1 partially shows. { Fig. 10} Fig. Figure 10 is an enlarged view showing a modified example of the first elastic element according to Fig. 6 partially explained.

[0007] A safety switching device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the attached figures.

[0008] As in Fig. Figure 1 shows that the safety switching device 1 of this embodiment includes a main device body 2 with a longitudinal direction and a sliding element (a movable section) 3, which is attached to the main device body 2 such that it is movable along the longitudinal direction (direction of movement: direction Y). The main device body 2 and the sliding element 3 are, for example, made of a hard plastic.

[0009] As in Fig. Figure 1 shows the main body of the device 2 with an emergency stop switch 4 on a front surface, and as shown in the Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 3 shows the main body of the device 2 equipped with a deadman's switch 5 on one rear surface. The emergency stop switch 4 is located near one end of the main body of the device 2 in the longitudinal direction. A cable 6 for connecting the emergency stop switch 4 and the deadman's switch 5 to a control unit (not shown) is provided at the other end of the main body of the device 2 in the longitudinal direction.

[0010] As in Fig. Figure 4 shows that the dead man's switch 5 is in a position where the index finger or thumb of the hand of an operator holding the device body 2 is placed when the device body 2 is held in the right or left hand. When the operator presses the dead man's switch 5 using the index finger or thumb of the hand holding the device body 2, operation of a portable terminal 100 is enabled, and when the operator releases their finger from the dead man's switch 5, the device body 2 is put into an emergency stop state.

[0011] As in the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows the front surface of the main device body 2 with a back surface support section 7, which supports a back surface of the portable device 100 when the portable device 100 is attached to the main device body 2, and a first retaining section (main body side retaining section) 8, which is located at an end side of the back surface support section 7 in the longitudinal direction. The back surface support section 7 includes a flat surface (a support surface) 7a, which extends in two directions, namely a direction Y and a direction X, which is perpendicular to direction Y. A layer 9 of a material such as silicone rubber, which has a higher coefficient of friction than the surfaces of the other sections of the main device body 2, is fixed to the flat surface 7a.

[0012] As in the Fig. 5 and Fig. As shown in Figure 7, the first retaining section 8 includes a projecting contact surface (a base section on the main body side) 10, which extends from one end of the flat surface 7a in the Y direction and in the XZ directions, which are perpendicular to the flat surface 7a, such that the projecting contact surface 10 comes into contact with an end edge of the portable terminal 100. Furthermore, the first retaining section 8 includes a first elastic element 11, which is detachably attached to the projecting contact surface 10 and is made of an elastic material.

[0013] As in the Fig. 7 and Fig. Figure 8 shows a projection (a projecting section) 12, which projects in the direction Y, on the projecting contact surface 10, and hook sections 13 are provided on the projection 12. The hook sections 13 are arranged in two positions with a distance in the direction X such that they project in a direction that approaches the flat surface 7a along a direction Z.

[0014] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the first elastic element 11 includes an inclined surface 14, which is a flat surface inclined such that, in a state in which the first elastic element 11 is attached to the protruding contact surface 10, it moves away from the protruding contact surface 10 in the direction Y and away from the flat surface 7a in the direction Z.

[0015] Furthermore, as in Fig. Figure 6 shows the first elastic element 11 having a recessed section 15, which has a shape (a shape complementary to the projection 12 and the hook sections 13) into which the projection 12 and the hook sections 13 of the projecting contact surface 10 are fitted. The first elastic element 11 is attached to the projecting contact surface 10 by the projection 12 and the hook sections 13 fitting into the recessed section 15, while the recessed section 15 is deformed by elastic deformation and subsequently the elastically deformed shape of the recessed section 15 returns to its original shape. As shown in Figure 6, the first elastic element 11 is attached to the projecting contact surface 10 by the projection 12 and the hook sections 13 fitting into the recessed section 15, while the recessed section 15 is deformed by elastic deformation and subsequently the elastically deformed shape of the recessed section 15 returns to its original shape. Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the sliding element 3 includes a strip-shaped sliding section 16, which is housed in a groove (not shown) provided in the main body of the device 2 to be movable in the direction Y, and a second retaining section (retaining section on the side of the movable section) 17, which is provided at one end of the sliding section 16. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the second retaining section 17 also includes a projecting contact surface (a base section on the side of the movable section) 18, which extends from the sliding section 16 in the directions XZ perpendicular to the direction Y, so that the projecting contact surface 18 rests against an end edge of the portable terminal 100, and a second elastic element 19, which is detachably attached to the projecting contact surface 18 and which is made of an elastic material.

[0016] The second elastic element 19 also has an inclined surface 20, which is a flat surface inclined such that, in a state in which the second elastic element 19 is attached to the projecting contact surface 18, it moves away from the projecting contact surface 18 in the direction Y and away from the flat surface 7a of the device main body 2 in the direction Z.

[0017] Similar to or in the same way as the projecting contact surface 10, the projecting contact surface 18 also includes a plate-like projection extending in the Y direction, and hook sections are provided on the projection. The hook sections are arranged in two positions spaced apart in the X direction such that they project in a direction approaching the flat surface 7a along the Z direction. The second elastic element 19 is provided with a recessed section having a shape into which the projection and the hook sections of the projecting contact surface 18 are fitted.The second elastic element 19 is detachably attached to the projecting contact surface 18 by fitting the projection and hook sections into the recessed section, while the recessed section is deformed by elastic deformation and subsequently returns to its original shape. A representation of the projection of the protruding contact surface 18 and the recessed section of the second elastic element 19 is omitted, as their shapes are similar to or identical to those of the protruding contact surface 10 and the first elastic element 11.

[0018] As in the Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the first retaining section 8 and the second retaining section 17 are located in positions opposite each other in the Y direction. Therefore, the inclined surface 14 of the first elastic element 11, which is provided in the first retaining section 8, and the inclined surface 20 of the second elastic element 19, which is provided in the second retaining section 17, are inclined in the direction in which the inclined surfaces 14 and 20 approach each other as they move away from the flat surface 7a in the Z direction. The operation of the safety switching device 1 according to this embodiment with the configuration shown above is described below.

[0019] The safety switching device 1 according to this embodiment is used with the portable terminal device 100 attached to it.

[0020] Multifunctional mobile phones (smartphones) or tablet computers or similar devices can be used as the portable terminal 100. To attach the portable terminal 100 to the safety switching device 1, the sliding element 3 in the device main body 2 is pulled in the Y direction, and the back surface of the portable terminal 100, which is placed between the first holding section 8 and the second holding section 17, comes into close contact with position 9 of the flat surface 7a.

[0021] In this state, the sliding element 3 is pressed in the Y direction against the main body of the device 2, and the portable terminal 100 is held between the first retaining section 8 and the second retaining section 17. This secures the portable terminal 100 to the safety switching device 1. The position of the sliding element 3 relative to the main body of the device 2 can be freely changed in the Y direction. Therefore, it is easily possible to attach portable terminals 100 of different sizes to the safety switching device 1. In this state, the inclined surface 14 of the first elastic element 11, which is provided in the first retaining section 8, comes into close contact with an end edge of the portable terminal 100 in the Y direction, as shown in Fig. Figure 5 shows that the inclined surface 20 of the second elastic element 19, which is provided in the second holding section 17, again comes into close contact with the other end edge of the portable terminal 100 in the Y direction, as shown in Figure 5. Fig. 9 is shown.

[0022] The two inclined surfaces 14, 20 are inclined in such a direction that the inclined surfaces 14, 20 approach each other when they move away from the flat surface 7a; therefore, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 8, at a point where each of the inclined surfaces 14, 20 and the portable device 100 come into close contact, a contact force F is exerted on the portable device 100 from the side of the inclined surfaces 14, 20 in a direction perpendicular to the inclined surfaces 14, 20. The contact force F generates the force components fy, fz in direction Y and direction Z. The force component fy in direction Y is exerted on the first holding section 8, and the force component fy on the second holding section 17 is exerted with the same magnitude but in opposite directions, so that the force component fy exerted on the first holding section 8 and the force component fy exerted on the second holding section 17 balance each other.

[0023] The portable device 100 is forced by the force component fz in the Z direction against the flat surface 7a of the main body of the device 2. This fixes the portable device 100 in the Z direction relative to the main body of the device 2. Furthermore, because the layer 9, made of a material with a higher coefficient of friction, is fixed to the flat surface 7a, a large frictional force is exerted between the main body of the device 2 and the portable device 100 in the X and Y directions. This means that the portable device 100 cannot be moved in the X and Y directions unless a force exceeding this large frictional force is exerted on the main body of the device 2, and therefore the portable device 100 is more securely fixed to the main body of the device 2.

[0024] Furthermore, since the inclined surfaces 14, 20, which come into contact with one edge and the other edge of the portable device 100, are provided on the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19, the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19 are elastically deformed in a position that is in contact with the portable device 100, thus increasing the contact area with the portable device 100. This increases the frictional force generated between the first elastic element 11 or the second elastic element 19 and the portable device 100, in particular the frictional force in the X direction, which more effectively prevents the portable device 100 from moving in the X direction relative to the main body of the device 2.Furthermore, a detent mechanism (not shown) can be placed between the main device body 2 and the sliding element 3 to move the sliding element 3 relative to the main device body 2 in the Y direction and to hold the sliding element 3 in the achieved position. In this case, an interval between the first holding section 8 and the second holding section 17 is set incrementally in a tooth spacing of the detent mechanism.

[0025] In this case, by providing the first elastic element 11 in the first holding section 8 and the second elastic element 19 in the second holding section 17, the portable terminal 100 can be inserted between the first holding section 8 and the second holding section 17 even if the distance between them is adjusted stepwise, which is advantageous.

[0026] Since the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19 are detachably attached to the projecting contact surfaces 10, 18, they can be replaced by an elastic element with an ideal shape or material corresponding to the thickness of the portable terminal 100 to be attached, or its edge shape. In this case, the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19 are elastically deformed and removed from the projection 12 and the hook sections 13, and their attachment is easily effected by elastically deforming the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19, so that the projection 12 and the hook sections 13 fit into the recessed section 15.

[0027] In addition, the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19 absorb a reaction force fz' which is generated in a direction opposite to the force component fz which is generated in the direction in which the portable terminal 100 is pushed against the flat surface 7a.

[0028] In this embodiment, the hook sections 13 extend in the direction opposite to the reaction force fz' exerted on the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19 to fit them into the recessed section 15, which prevents the projection 12 from coming out of the recessed section 15 due to the reaction force.

[0029] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, in order to use the portable device 100, which is in a state where the safety switching device 1 is attached to it, the operator holds the main body 2 of the safety switching device 1, located on the back of the portable device 100, using either their left or right hand. The operator then uses the index finger or thumb of the hand holding the main body 2 to press the dead man's switch 5. This allows the operator to operate the portable device 100, enabling the operator to program the robot or perform similar tasks.

[0030] Furthermore, if the emergency stop switch 4, which is provided within the safety switching device 1, is pressed or the dead man's switch 5 is no longer pressed while the robot is being taught, the robot may be in an emergency stop state.

[0031] In this state, the operator only holds the main body of the device 2 directly, but does not hold the portable terminal 100 directly. According to this embodiment, the above configuration allows the main body of the device 2 to hold the portable terminal 100 stably, so that the portable terminal 100 does not move in any of the directions X, Y, Z relative to the main body of the device 2 when its own weight or a large external force is exerted on the portable terminal 100, which is advantageous.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19 enclose the flat inclined surfaces 14, 20; however, inclined surfaces 14, 20 with a curved surface could be provided. In this case, as Fig. Figure 10 shows that the inclined surfaces 14, 20 are curved in such a way that the angle between each of the inclined surfaces and the flat surface 7a of the device main body 2 decreases as the inclined surfaces move away from the flat surface 7a in the direction Z.

[0033] This makes it, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 10, it is possible to increase the force component in the Z direction exerted on the portable device 100 by the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19 if the thickness of the portable device 100 to be attached increases and its weight increases. Accordingly, the portable device 100 can be held by the greater force in the XYZ directions, which is advantageous.

[0034] Furthermore, inclined surfaces 14, 20 are provided on the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19, which are detachable from the projecting contact surfaces 10, 18; however, the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element 19 can also be fixed to the projecting contact surfaces 10, 18. In addition, the projecting contact surfaces 10, 18 themselves can be the inclined surfaces 14, 20, without providing the first elastic element 11 and the second elastic element.

[0035] Furthermore, each of the projections 12 includes the hook sections 13, which are located in two positions with a distance in the direction X, but any number of more than one hook section 13 can be provided. {List of reference symbols} 1 safety switching device 2 main device bodies 3 Sliding element (movable section) 7 Backrest support section 7a flat surface (support surface) 8 first stopping section 10 Protruding contact surface (main body side-holding section) 11 first elastic element 12 lead (preceding section) 13 Hook section 14 inclined surface 15 in-depth section 17 second stopping section (stopping section on the side of the moving section) 18 Protruding contact surface (base section on the side of the movable section) 19 second elastic element 20 inclined surface 100 portable devices

Claims

[1] Safety switching device (1) comprising the following: a device main body (2); and a movable section (3) that is capable of moving in a predetermined direction of movement relative to the main body of the device (2), wherein the device main body (2) is provided with a back surface support section having a support surface (7a) that supports a back surface of a portable terminal device, and a main body side holding section (8) that forces a side of the portable terminal device into a state in which the portable terminal device is supported by the back surface support section, the movable section (3) is provided with a retaining section (17) on the side of the movable section, which is in a position opposite to the main body side retaining section (8) in the direction of movement and which pushes the other side of the portable terminal, Each of the main body side holding section (8) and holding section (17) on the side of the movable section is provided with an inclined surface (14, 20) that comes into close contact with one side or the other side of the portable terminal, each of the inclined surfaces (14, 20) inclines in a direction in which the inclined surfaces (14, 20) approach each other in the direction of movement as they move away from the support surface (7a) in a direction perpendicular to the support surface (7a), and a processing is carried out which causes an area of ​​the support surface (7a) to have a coefficient of friction that is higher than that of surfaces of other sections of the device main body (2), wherein the area comes into close contact with the back surface of the portable terminal, wherein the main body side retaining section (8) is provided with a main body side base section extending in a transverse direction with respect to the support surface (7a) and a first elastic element attached to the main body side base section, wherein the holding section (17) on the side of the movable section is provided with a base section on the side of the movable section which extends in a transverse direction with respect to the support surface (7a) and a second elastic element which is attached to the base section on the side of the movable section, wherein the inclined surfaces (14, 20) are provided on the first elastic element and the second elastic element, wherein the first elastic element is detachably attached to the main body side base section, and the second elastic element is detachably attached to the base section on the side of the movable section, and wherein each of the main body-side base section and base section on the side of the movable section is provided with a projecting section extending in a direction in which the projecting sections approach each other along the direction of movement, and hook sections extending from an outer surface of the projecting section in a direction in which the hook sections approach the support surface (7a), and a recessed section with a shape into which the protruding section and the hook section are fitted, is provided in each of the first elastic element and second elastic element.

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