Enabling Switch Alignment for Press Brake Operator Fatigue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators of die bending presses face difficulties in locating and using enabling switches, particularly in machines with long bending lines or complex sheet metal configurations, leading to fatigue and operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
The enabling switch is designed with a radiation source and receiver aligned along the bending line, allowing easy activation and deactivation, and can be adjusted for ergonomic use, incorporating a light source visible to the human eye for easy location and a radio connection for convenience, with optional additional switches for flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed-position enabling switch is used, then the machine can be operated safely, but the operator experiences fatigue and difficulty in operation especially with long bending lines
Solution Approach 1:
The enabling switch is transformed from a fixed-position device to a movable device that can be positioned along the bending line. The radiation source and radiation receiver can be relocated to different positions, allowing the operator to activate the switch at multiple locations rather than returning to a single fixed point, thereby reducing operator fatigue while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The enabling switch functionality is extended along the bending line dimension. By aligning the radiation source and receiver along the bending line and allowing their position to be adjusted in one dimension (along the line), the system provides multiple activation points, transforming the operator's interaction from a single-point operation to a distributed operation along the machine's length
2Ease of operation
If the radiation source and receiver are aligned along the bending line, then the enabling switch becomes easy to operate, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an optical system. Instead of using mechanical linkages, gears, or actuators to control the enabling switch, the invention uses a radiation source and receiver that detect the presence or absence of material along the bending line, simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The radiation source and receiver act as intermediaries between the operator's action and the machine control. Rather than directly mechanical coupling, the optical radiation field serves as the mediation mechanism, allowing simple operator interaction (blocking or allowing radiation) to control complex machine functions, thereby reducing the complexity visible at the operator interface
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration simplifies and reduces fatigue in operating the die bending press while ensuring operational safety by allowing flexible positioning and easy access to the enabling switch, enhancing the operator's ability to manage the machine effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The radiation source is, for example, a source for electromagnetic radiation and the radiation receiver is a detector for electromagnetic radiation
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a press brake (11) with a lower jaw (12) and an upper jaw (16), wherein the upper jaw (16) is movable relative to the lower jaw (12). The press brake (11) further comprises a protective device (21) for securing a danger zone of the press brake (11), wherein the protective effect of the protective device (21) can be overridden by means of an enabling switch (31) that can be actuated by an operator. The enabling switch (31) comprises a radiation source (32) and a radiation receiver (33). The beam direction of the radiation source (32) of the enabling switch (31) is parallel to the bending line (B) of the press brake (11). The invention further relates to a method for actuating such a press brake (11).