Handheld Machine Tool Sensor Unit for Operator Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand-held machine tools lack effective means to ensure operator safety and optimal operating conditions, such as proper accessory usage and environmental awareness, leading to potential accidents and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a sensor unit with an image sensor that senses user-specific data, including vital signs, accessory usage, and environmental parameters, to control and regulate the drive unit, ensuring safe and efficient operation by monitoring the operator and work environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If operator monitoring and environmental sensing are implemented, then operator safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting operator presence, monitoring environmental conditions, and sensing accessory usage. This multi-functionality allows the system to improve operator safety through comprehensive monitoring while avoiding the need for separate dedicated sensors for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor unit acts as an intermediary between the operator/environment and the control unit. It captures operator-specific data and environmental parameters, then transmits this information to the control unit for processing. This intermediary approach allows complex sensing operations to be performed while keeping the overall system architecture manageable and organized.
2Loss of information
If sensor unit with image sensor is added, then environmental awareness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit incorporates an image sensor that serves multiple purposes: monitoring the work environment, detecting operator presence, and identifying safety accessories. This multi-functional design allows the system to gain comprehensive environmental awareness through a single integrated component rather than multiple separate sensors, thereby limiting the increase in manufacturing cost.
3Reliability
If real-time operator monitoring is implemented, then accident prevention is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit is configured to detect operator-specific data at defined time intervals rather than continuously. This periodic monitoring approach allows the system to maintain effective operator surveillance for accident prevention while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous real-time monitoring, as the sensor remains inactive between measurement intervals.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a machine tool, more particularly a hand-held machine tool, with a drive unit for driving a tool insert that can be accommodated and operated with the machine tool, and with an open- or closed-loop control unit to control the drive unit. The invention proposes that the machine tool has at least one first sensor unit with an image sensor, wherein the sensor unit is configured to sense user-specific data and to process same by means of the open- or closed-loop control unit such that the drive unit is controlled subject to the sensed data.