Wireless Safety Switch Actuator Positioning via Drive Means
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety switch devices face challenges in ensuring reliable locking and signaling of protective device states, particularly under unfavorable conditions, which requires tight mechanical and electrical tolerances, limiting adaptability and increasing complexity, and fail to enhance operational safety against electronic component failures or manipulation attempts.
Innovation Solution
A device with an actuator receptacle and drive means that allows for a larger operative connection area between signaling means, enabling secure locking detection beyond the actuator's locking area, and includes a drive mechanism for relative movement between the actuator and receptacle, ensuring secure locking and improved design flexibility, such as for swing or sliding doors, with options like a lifting magnet or electric motor for energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the response range for the signaling means is designed to ensure recognition under unfavorable conditions, then the reliability of locked state detection is improved, but the mechanical and electrical tolerances become narrower and the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The signaling function is segmented into two independent parts: a first signaling means in the actuator receptacle and a second signaling means on the actuator. This segmentation allows each signaling component to have simpler design requirements, as they only need to establish wireless communication when in proximity, rather than one component needing to cover the entire response range alone.
Solution Approach 2:
A drive means is introduced as an intermediary mechanism that automatically moves the actuator into the correct position relative to the actuator receptacle. This intermediary ensures that the signaling means are properly aligned for wireless communication without requiring tight tolerances on the signaling components themselves, as the drive means handles the positioning precision.
2Measurement precision
If tight mechanical and electrical tolerances are used to ensure reliable signaling, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the adaptability to different installation conditions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a dynamic drive means that can automatically adjust and move the actuator to achieve proper alignment with the actuator receptacle. This dynamic positioning capability allows the system to adapt to various installation conditions and tolerances, rather than requiring fixed, tight tolerances in the mechanical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive means serves multiple functions: it moves the actuator into position for locking, and simultaneously ensures proper alignment for wireless signaling communication. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate precision positioning mechanisms, thereby improving adaptability without sacrificing detection accuracy.
3Reliability
If the actuator is locked in a detachable manner only after the machine has come to a standstill, then the operational safety is improved, but the productivity is reduced due to additional stopping time
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless signaling means provide feedback about the locked state of the actuator to the control system. This feedback mechanism allows the control system to monitor whether the actuator is properly locked before allowing machine operation to resume, ensuring operational safety without requiring extended stopping times. The quick wireless verification enables rapid safety confirmation.
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
Enhances operational safety by ensuring accurate detection of the actuator's locked state, allowing for more adaptable designs and improved sealing, while maintaining compactness and energy efficiency, thus preventing false signaling and enhancing secure release mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic device, by means of which a magnetic force can be provided, with which the actuator and the read head can be locked in the joined state
Implementation Method 2
a first signaling means which, when the device is in the locked state, is wirelessly operatively connected to a second signaling means of the actuator
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for releasably locking and signaling a specifiable state of a protective apparatus (2) of a machine (4) or the like, in particular a safety switch, the device (1) having an actuator receptacle (10) for accommodating an actuator (12), which actuator can be fastened to the protective apparatus (2), and the actuator receptacle (10) having a first signaling means (20), which is wirelessly operatively connected to a second signaling means (22) of the actuator (12) in the locked state of the apparatus (2), such that the locked state can be detected and signaled by the device (1), characterized in that the device (1) has a driving means (24), by means of which the actuator (12) can be moved in relation to the actuator receptacle (10) while the locked state of the protective device (2) is maintained, and that the device (1) determines whether a change, corresponding to the relative motion, of the signal representing the operative connection between the first signaling means (20) of the actuator receptacle (10) and the second signaling means (22) of the actuator (12) can be detected.