Optical Access Locking for Unauthorized Restart Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing access protection systems face challenges in ensuring secure restart mechanisms, particularly during maintenance or special operations, where unauthorized restarts can occur due to the inability to detect individuals within the safety area, leading to potential hazards.
Innovation Solution
A locking device with a blocking element that can be moved into the light beam path between an optical transmitter and receiver, locked in place by a securing element, ensuring that the system cannot be started unless the blocking element is manually reset, providing an additional layer of security and preventing unintentional restarts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a restart button is provided for resetting the safety system, then the system can be restarted after maintenance or special operations, but the restart button can be pressed in an unauthorized manner leading to potential hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking element is positioned in advance within the light beam path to prevent system restart before safety verification. The element must be manually removed from the beam path as a preliminary action before the system can restart, ensuring that safety checks are performed before reactivation.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking element acts as an intermediary physical barrier between the safety system and the restart function. By placing this element in the light beam path, it mediates the restart process - the system cannot restart unless this intermediary is removed, providing a tangible safety checkpoint.
2Reliability
If additional protective devices such as light curtains or scanners are added to detect persons in the danger zone, then safety is enhanced, but programming and wiring effort increases and costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking element integrates multiple functions into a single component: it serves as both the safety verification mechanism and the person detection indicator. When removed from the beam path, it simultaneously enables system restart and signals that the area is clear, merging what would otherwise require separate devices into one unified solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking element performs multiple safety-related functions: it physically prevents unauthorized restarts, serves as a visual indicator of system state, and works with the existing light curtain to detect persons in the danger zone. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional specialized devices.
3Reliability
If the blocking element is positioned in the light beam path to prevent unauthorized restarts, then security is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety system is segmented into distinct functional components: the existing light curtain for person detection, the blocking element for physical prevention of unauthorized restarts, and the control system for coordinating these elements. This segmentation allows each component to be simple and focused on its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex electronic locking mechanism to prevent restarts, the invention inverts the approach by using a simple physical blocking element that relies on the existing light beam detection system. The simplicity of the blocking element contrasts with the complexity it prevents, using mechanical rather than electronic means.
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
The solution enhances security by ensuring that the system remains in a safe state until authorized personnel explicitly allow the restart, reducing the risk of unauthorized start-ups and simplifying integration and handling while being cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Implementation Method 1
The optical transmitter is configured to send a light pulse to the optical receiver
Implementation Method 2
The sensor device is configured to generate a sensor signal based on the receiver's reception of the light pulses
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(A)~2(B)
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an access control system (10) and a method (60) for securing access to a machine or system (14) arranged in a safety zone (12). The access control system (10) comprises a sensor device (16) and a control device (18). The sensor device (16) comprises an optical transmitter (22) and an optical receiver (24). The optical transmitter (22) is configured to send a light pulse to the optical receiver (24). The sensor device (16) is configured to generate a sensor signal based on the receiver's (24's) reception of the light pulse. The control device (18) is configured to read the sensor signal and control the machine or system (14) arranged in the safety zone (12) taking the sensor signal into account.The access control system (10) further comprises a locking device (40) with a base body (42) and a blocking element (44) arranged thereon. The blocking element (44) can be moved relative to the base body (42) from a release position (48) to a locked position (50), in which the blocking element (44) is positioned in a beam path (28) of the light pulse between the transmitter (22) and the receiver (24) in order to block the reception of the light pulses. The locking device (40) can be locked in the locked position by means of a locking element (46).