Tactile Safety Sensor for Handling Devices Using Gas-Pressure Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety sensors for handling devices, such as industrial robots, do not adequately protect against collisions with tools or obstacles, posing a risk of injury to people and facilities.
Innovation Solution
A tactile safety device with a gas-filled chamber surrounded by a flexible shell and pressure sensor is integrated into the handling device, allowing the sensor to detect collisions by measuring pressure changes when the tool carrier moves relative to the carrier housing, enabling immediate stopping or retraction of the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a safety sensor is attached to the handling device to detect collisions, then the structural safety is improved, but the risk of injury from tool collisions remains considerable
Solution Approach 1:
The safety system is segmented into two independent parts: a sensor body attached to the handling device for structural safety, and a tool carrier with its own sensor for tool collision detection. This segmentation allows each component to independently detect and respond to collisions, thereby maintaining structural safety while adding protection against tool collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool carrier acts as an intermediary between the handling device and the tool. It includes a sensor body that can be actuated by tool collisions, serving as a mediator that detects tool-related hazards and triggers appropriate responses, thus protecting against tool collision injuries.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor body is placed in the gap between carrier housing and tool carrier, then the detection sensitivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gap between the carrier housing and tool carrier serves multiple functions: it provides a mounting location for the sensor body, allows for tool carrier movement, and enables collision detection. By making this space multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate mounting structures, thereby maintaining simplicity while improving detection sensitivity.
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 effectively secures the entire surface of the robot against collisions, preventing injuries and damage by detecting pressure increases from tool or device collisions, ensuring high operational reliability without requiring new technology.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor for measuring the gas pressure prevailing inside the chamber
Implementation Method 2
which in turn leads to a measurable increase in pressure inside the shell
Implementation Method 3
a flexible shell, which can be deformed by collision with an obstacle
Implementation Method 4
collision with an obstacle
Data Source
AI summary
A device for controlling a handling device comprising a carrier housing which can be arranged on the handling device with a tactile sensor body arranged on the outside of the carrier housing and a tool carrier movably mounted on the carrier housing, wherein the sensor body can be actuated by the tool carrier when load is acting on the tool carrier, wherein the sensor body is formed by a gas-filled chamber which is surrounded by a flexible shell, which can be deformed by collision with an obstacle, and further comprises a pressure sensor for measuring the gas pressure prevailing inside the chamber.