Handheld Machine Control With Visual Emergency Stop Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine control systems face challenges in ensuring safety and convenience, particularly due to errors or misconduct by operators, which can lead to misjudgment of emergency stop actuating element effectiveness, especially in systems with large radii of action or wireless connections.
Innovation Solution
The method involves schematically mapping the machine control system on a hand-held device display, using selective and fail-safe activation of light sources to clearly indicate the emergency stop actuating element's effective range, ensuring unmistakable signaling and reducing the risk of incorrect displays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a mobile hand-held control device with emergency stop actuating element is used to increase operator mobility and control flexibility, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of operator error and misjudgment of emergency stop effectiveness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides visual feedback through light sources that indicate the current effective area of the emergency stop actuating element. When the hand-held control device is moved to different locations, the light sources update to show which areas are still covered by the emergency stop function, giving operators real-time feedback about safety coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different colored light sources (e.g., green, yellow, red) are used to indicate different states of emergency stop coverage. Green may indicate full coverage, yellow partial coverage, and red no coverage, allowing operators to quickly understand the safety status without complex displays or text.
2Productivity
If the emergency stop actuating element has a large radius of action to cover more machine areas, then productivity is improved, but the complexity of ensuring complete coverage and avoiding blind spots increases
Solution Approach 1:
The machine area is divided into multiple discrete effective areas, each associated with a specific light source on the hand-held control device. Instead of treating the coverage area as a single zone, the system segments it into manageable sections that can be independently monitored and indicated.
Solution Approach 2:
The hand-held control device serves multiple functions: it acts as the emergency stop actuating element, provides visual feedback through light sources indicating coverage status, and potentially guides operators through the effective areas. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate monitoring systems.
3Reliability
If visual indicators are added to show emergency stop effective areas to prevent operator error, then reliability is improved, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses simple colored light sources instead of complex displays, screens, or text-based indicators. The color changes provide intuitive information about emergency stop coverage status with minimal processing and display complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs simple, inexpensive light sources (such as LEDs) that have long operational life but low cost and simple implementation. These light sources are activated only when needed to indicate coverage status, consuming minimal energy while providing reliable visual feedback.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a machine control system (1) and to a corresponding machine control system (1). A mobile handheld operating device (4) which can be carried by an operator is provided for functionally influencing at least one of the machine controllers (3, 3'). The handheld operating device (4) comprises at least one emergency stop actuation element (8) for terminating potentially dangerous machine operations. The at least one machine controller (3, 3') and/or the handheld operating device (4) is designed to display an image of the machine control system (1) on the display (14) of the handheld operating device (4). Additionally, the at least one machine controller (3, 3') and/or the handheld operating device (4) is designed to display the active region or the active regions (W1, W2, W3, W4) of the at least one emergency stop actuation element (8) by means of the display (14) of the handheld operating device (4). The at least one machine controller (3, 3') and/or the handheld operating device (4) is additionally designed to simultaneously display the active region or the active regions (W1, W2, W3, W4) of the at least one emergency stop actuation element (8) by selectively actuating at least one lighting means (23) on the hand-held operating device (4) and/or at least one discreetly designed lighting means (24) in or on the at least one emergency stop actuation element (8) on the hand-held operating device (4) in a single-fault-tolerant manner.