Wireless Power Safety Circuit for Production Line Exchange Units

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing safety systems in production lines with wireless power supply experience delays in emergency stops due to temporary power outages or noise, and require time-consuming permissions for wireless communication, leading to potential collisions and safety hazards.

Innovation Solution

A safety system with a monitoring section to detect objects in the monitoring area, a safety circuit to immediately cut power to the driving section while maintaining power to the monitoring and control sections, and an emergency stop button for immediate wireless power shutdown, ensuring quick and safe emergency stops without relying on wireless communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If wireless communication is used for safe signal transmission, then communication flexibility is improved, but emergency stop response time is delayed due to signal reception issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication flexibilityVSAvoidemergency stop response time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments power supply into two independent circuits: a safety circuit that provides continuous power to the monitoring section and emergency stop button, and a main power circuit that supplies the driving section. This segmentation allows the monitoring function to operate independently of wireless communication, eliminating response delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A capacitor is introduced as an intermediary energy storage element in the safety circuit. This capacitor stores energy during normal operation and immediately releases it when emergency stop is triggered, providing instantaneous response without waiting for wireless signal confirmation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If continuous monitoring of safe signal is required, then safety reliability is improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple signal verification mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety reliabilityVSAvoidsignal verification mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The safety monitoring function is extracted from the wireless communication system and placed in an independent safety circuit powered by a separate power source. This extraction eliminates the need for complex signal verification mechanisms while maintaining high safety reliability through physical isolation from the communication system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If power is cut to the entire system during emergency stop, then safety is improved, but restart time is extended due to complete system power loss

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemergency stop safetyVSAvoidrestart time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The power supply system is segmented into a safety circuit that maintains power to the monitoring section and control section during emergency stop, and a main power circuit that cuts power to the driving section. This segmentation enables immediate stopping while preserving the ability to quickly detect when it's safe to restart.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If wireless power supply is used, then contactless power transmission is achieved, but emergency stop response is delayed due to wireless signal dependency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontactless power transmissionVSAvoidemergency stop response time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The power supply system is divided into wireless power supply for the main power circuit and a wired power supply for the safety circuit. This segmentation allows contactless power transmission to be maintained while the safety-critical functions rely on immediate wired power connection that is immune to wireless communication delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 system prevents collisions by immediately stopping the work device when an object is detected and allows for quick restarts, minimizing emergency stop time and eliminating delays associated with wireless communication, while avoiding regulatory complexities.

Implementation Method 1

power is supplied to the automatic exchanging unit from the component mounter side via wireless power supply (contactless electric power transmission)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWireless power supply: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3417991B1Production line safety system
Publication Date: 2021.11.17 FUJI CORP
  • EP3417991B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3417991B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3417991B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a component-mounted-board production line (10) in which an automatic exchanging device (26) moves along a row of multiple component mounters (12), each component mounter is provided with a power supplying section (81) that supplies power wirelessly. The automatic exchanging device is provided with a power receiving section (82) that receives electric power supplied wirelessly from the power supplying section of the component mounter that the automatic exchanging device is facing, a monitoring section (84) that monitors whether a person or object has entered a monitoring area (83) around the automatic exchanging device, and a safety circuit section (87) that turns off the power supply to a motor (78) that is the driving source of the automatic exchanging device but continues supplying power to the monitoring section and the like when the monitoring section detects that a person or object has entered the monitoring area. Provided on component-mounted-board production line 10 are an emergency stop button (91) configured to be operated by a person, and an emergency stop circuit section (92) configured to turn off the wireless power supply of the power supplying section of the component mounter when the emergency stop button is pushed to cut the power supply to the automatic exchanging device.