Light Grid Synchronization via Dynamic Beam Axis Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light grids require synchronization with a fixed beam axis, which is disrupted when areas are blanked out, rendering them unusable in applications where non-safety-critical objects intermittently enter the monitored area, leading to unnecessary machine shutdowns and reduced availability.
Innovation Solution
The light grid can be synchronized with any beam axis, allowing for dynamic masking of sub-areas through blanking or muting processes, ensuring only non-blanked beam axes generate object detection signals, thus preventing false shutdowns and enhancing system availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the light grid is synchronized with a fixed beam axis, then the synchronization is stable and reliable, but the system cannot accommodate blanking operations that continuously interrupt the beam axis, leading to loss of functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the synchronization beam axis selectable rather than fixed. The system dynamically switches between different beam axes for synchronization purposes, allowing the first beam axis to be used when available and automatically switching to alternative beam axes when the first beam axis is blanked out. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction between maintaining stable synchronization and accommodating blanking operations.
2Productivity
If blanking operations are implemented to mask non-safety-critical areas, then false shutdowns are prevented and machine availability increases, but the fixed beam axis synchronization is disrupted and the light grid becomes unusable
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its synchronization mechanism based on the blanking status. When blanking operations are active and interrupt the first beam axis, the system automatically switches to use alternative beam axes for synchronization. This allows blanking operations to proceed without compromising the light grid's functionality, thereby maintaining both machine availability and system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having alternative beam axes ready and available before the synchronization failure occurs. When the first beam axis is blanked out, the system can immediately switch to pre-identified alternative beam axes without interruption to the overall synchronization process. This preparatory arrangement ensures that blanking operations can be performed while maintaining continuous synchronization capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the first beam axis is continuously interrupted for blanking, then non-safety-critical objects can pass through the monitored area, but the light grid loses synchronization capability and cannot detect safety-critical objects
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches the synchronization source from the first beam axis to alternative beam axes when the first beam axis is continuously interrupted. This dynamic adaptation allows the first beam axis to be freely used for blanking operations while the light grid maintains synchronization and object detection capability through alternative beam axes. The system thus preserves both the adaptability to allow non-safety-critical passage and the reliability of object detection.
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 approach enables flexible area masking, preventing unnecessary machine shutdowns and increasing the light grid's functionality by allowing synchronization with any beam axis, ensuring only safety-critical interruptions trigger shutdown commands.
Implementation Method 1
The transmitter unit has an arrangement of transmitters which are arranged next to one another and emit transmitted light beams
Implementation Method 2
the receiver unit has an arrangement of receivers arranged next to one another. Each transmitter is assigned a receiver to form a beam axis. If the beam path is free, the receivers are exposed to the transmitted light beams
Implementation Method 3
The transmitter and receiver are synchronized optically. For this purpose, the transmitter of the first beam axis emits transmitted light beams with a specific identifier. The other transmitters emit transmitted light beams, each with an identical identifier that differs from the identifier of the first transmitter
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The method is used with a light box (1) having a given number of pairs of transmitters (7) and detectors (10) for light beams forming beam axes. The transmitters and detectors are activated cyclically to detect an object in a detection space. A code is superimposed on the beams. To synchronize the transmitters and detectors a beam axis is extrapolated within a cycle and its code is registered at the detector such that this beam can be unequivocally identified within all the beams.