Emergency Stop Switching Device Actuation Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency stop switching devices in multiple interconnected machines are difficult to identify when actuated, leading to time delays in system shutdown and restart, as no clear electrical control signal is generated to determine which device initiated the shutdown.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a contact bridge within the driving sleeve that activates a control switch upon actuation, generating an electrical signal to identify the activated device, and placing this control switch in the center of the switching device for easy recognition and operation, even in low visibility conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large number of emergency stop switching devices are connected in series to ensure complete system shutdown, then system safety is improved, but the ability to identify which device was actuated deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where each emergency stop switching device sends a status signal to a central control unit. When a device is actuated, it generates an identification signal that is transmitted back to the control unit, which then displays which specific device was activated. This feedback loop resolves the contradiction by maintaining system safety through complete shutdown capability while simultaneously providing real-time information about which device was actuated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a central control unit as an intermediary between the emergency stop switching devices and the operator. This control unit receives signals from multiple distributed switching devices and processes the information to identify which specific device was actuated. The intermediary consolidates information from numerous devices into a single identifiable signal, resolving the identification problem while maintaining the safety function of all devices.
2Reliability
If manual checking of each emergency stop device is performed to identify the actuated one, then system shutdown completeness is ensured, but system restart time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic feedback system eliminates the need for manual checking by providing real-time identification of the actuated device. When an emergency stop is triggered, the control unit immediately receives and processes the identification signal, displaying which device was activated. This allows operators to quickly locate and reset the specific device without systematically checking each one, dramatically reducing system restart time while maintaining shutdown completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical checking process with an automated electrical signaling system. Instead of physically inspecting each emergency stop device to determine which one was actuated, the system uses electrical control signals to automatically identify and communicate the status of each device to the control unit. This substitution of manual inspection with automated signaling eliminates time-consuming manual checks while ensuring complete shutdown verification.
3Reliability
If emergency stop switching devices are installed in multiple machines to ensure comprehensive emergency coverage, then safety coverage is improved, but the complexity of determining which device was actuated increases
Solution Approach 1:
The central control unit serves as an intermediary that manages the complexity of multiple distributed emergency stop devices. Each device sends a simple identification signal to the control unit, which then consolidates and processes this information. The control unit presents the complex information from multiple devices in a simplified manner, displaying clearly which specific device was actuated. This intermediary architecture allows comprehensive safety coverage across multiple machines while managing the identification complexity centrally rather than distributing it across all devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit performs multiple functions: it receives signals from numerous emergency stop devices, processes identification information, displays the actuated device status, and can potentially control system shutdown and restart operations. This multi-functional universal device consolidates the complexity of managing multiple emergency stop devices into a single unit, allowing comprehensive safety coverage while simplifying the overall system architecture and operation.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2a
AI summary
In an emergency stop switching device (1) for disconnecting an electrically operated machine (2) from a circuit (3), comprising a housing (4) fixedly attached to the machine (2), on which an externally accessible actuating cap (5) is axially displaceable, a contact switch (11) housed in the housing (4) which is closed in the unactuated state of the switching device (1) and through which the machine (2) is electrically coupled to the circuit (3), and a drive sleeve (7) supported on the inner surface (6) of the housing (4) and fixedly connected to the actuating cap (5), the free end face (10) of which opposite the actuating cap (5) faces the contact switch (11) and disconnects it from the circuit (3) in the actuated state, the functional reliability is to be ensured on the one hand and a control signal is to be generated in the actuated state of the switching device (1).by which it can be determined without time delay which of the switching devices (1) has been actuated. This is achieved by a contact bridge (21) being locked in a cavity (16) of the drive sleeve, by a control switch (22) being supported on the housing (4) in the direction of movement (9) of the contact bridge (21) and aligned with it, the control switch (22) being spaced apart from the contact bridge (21) when the switching device (1) is not actuated, and by the control switch (22) being able to be closed by the contact bridge (21) when the switching device (1) is actuated.