Dynamic Light Curtain Muting Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light curtain systems face challenges in dynamically adjusting muting heights to accommodate products of different heights, leading to potential safety risks as operators may pass through undetected during partial muting modes, especially when products of varying sizes are processed.
Innovation Solution
A light curtain control system that dynamically sets a muting height based on the highest interrupted beam during the partial muting mode, allowing only the necessary beams to be muted while maintaining others for monitoring, thereby preventing operator entry without pre-configuring different product heights or requiring product identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed muting height is used in light curtain systems, then the system structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate products of different heights leading to safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic muting height adjustment by detecting the highest interrupted beam during muting mode and automatically setting the muting height accordingly. This allows the light curtain system to adapt to different product heights in real-time without requiring manual reconfiguration or pre-programming, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-configuration by automatically determining the appropriate muting height based on the detected product profile during muting mode. The light curtain controller autonomously identifies the highest interrupted beam and configures the partial muting parameters without external intervention, eliminating the need for complex preconfiguration while maintaining adaptability.
2Productivity
If all light beams are muted during product passage, then product detection is enabled, but operator safety is compromised as they may pass through undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the light curtain beams into muted and active portions during product passage. By identifying the highest interrupted beam and muting only the beams below this height, the system allows uninterrupted product passage while maintaining safety monitoring in the upper region where operators might pass, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different functional qualities to different regions of the light curtain: the lower region (below the highest interrupted beam) is muted to facilitate product passage, while the upper region remains active for safety monitoring. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by enabling product efficiency in one zone while maintaining safety in another.
3Reliability
If pre-configuration of muting height is required for different products, then safety can be maintained, but operational efficiency decreases due to manual adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates manual pre-configuration by automatically determining the appropriate muting height through detection of the highest interrupted beam during muting mode. This self-service approach maintains safety through proper muting height selection while eliminating the time loss associated with manual adjustment for each different product.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection during a brief muting mode initiation phase to identify the product profile and determine the appropriate muting height before transitioning to partial muting mode. This preliminary action ensures safety parameters are correctly set without requiring manual intervention during actual production operations.
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 solution ensures safe operation by dynamically adjusting the muting height to accommodate products of different heights, reducing the risk of operator entry during partial muting modes without the need for pre-configuration or additional identification systems, thus enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a light curtain status component configure to generate status information for a light curtain based on a determination of whether one or more light beams, of a set of light beams emitted by a set of emitters of the light curtain, are detected by corresponding one or more receivers of the light curtain
Data Source
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AI summary
A light curtain system is configured to perform dynamic partial muting of the light curtain's beams to accommodate products of different heights. When a product enters the light curtain's protective field during muting mode, the system identifies the highest interrupted light beam, which is indicative of the product's height. The system then sets the muting height for the light curtain based on this highest interrupted beam. Beams higher than the set muting height are un-muted, while beams up to the set muting height remain muted. Both regions are actively monitored during the partial muting mode to confirm the expected non-interrupted, respectively interrupted conditions. When the product clears the light curtain, the muting height is reset, and a new muting height is set in a similar fashion when the next part enters the light curtain's protective field.