AUTOMATIC DEVICE AND SAFETY APPARATUS THEREOF

Abstract

A safety apparatus is used to be arranged at a movable member of automatic device and is communicatively connected to a controller of the automatic device. The safety apparatus includes a contact detector and a module. The contact detector is for detecting a contact event of the safety apparatus, and outputting a contact signal. The module includes a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal. The first input terminal is communicatively connected to the contact detector, and is for receiving the contact signal. The second input terminal is communicatively connected to the output terminal, and is capable of communicatively connecting to an output terminal of another safety apparatus. The output terminal is communicatively connected to the first input terminal, and is for outputting an output signal when the first input terminal receives the contact signal. Upon receiving the output signal from the output terminal, the controller changes a motion state of the movable member of the automatic device.

Description

Claims

1. A safety apparatus, for being arranged at a movable member of automatic device and being communicatively connected to a controller of the automatic device, the safety apparatus comprising: a contact detector, for detecting a contact event of the safety apparatus, and outputting a contact signal; anda module, comprising: a first input terminal, communicatively connected to the contact detector, for receiving the contact signal;an output terminal, communicatively connected to the first input terminal, for outputting an output signal when the first input terminal receives the contact signal; anda second input terminal, communicatively connected to the output terminal, being capable of communicatively connecting to an output terminal of another safety apparatus;wherein, upon receiving the output signal from the output terminal, the controller changes a motion state of the movable member of the automatic device.

2. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact detector comprises: two film layers, having a first inner surface and a second inner surface opposite to each other;two electrode layers, arranged on the first inner surface and the second inner surface, respectively, the two electrode layers being spaced by a gap;at least one sensing layer, arranged on at least one of the two electrode layers; anda gap layer, arranged between the two film layers to maintain the gap between the two electrode layers.

3. The safety apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one sensing layer comprises a pressure sensitive material covering one of the two electrode layers, and the pressure sensitive material comprises at least one electrically conductive substance.

4. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an indicator component, communicatively connected to the module, and operating when the output terminal outputs the output signal.

5. The safety apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the indicator component is a light emitting component.

6. The safety apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the module further comprises: two parallel-connected output switches, connected in series between the first input terminal and the indicator component.

7. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second input terminal is shorted in a loop.

8. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output signal is an on/off signal.

9. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion state comprises a stop state.

10. The safety apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the module further comprises: two parallel-connected determination circuits, communicatively connected to the first input terminal, for determining whether the contact signal is greater than a threshold, and outputting a determination signal when the contact signal is greater than the threshold; andtwo parallel-connected output switches, connected in series between the two parallel-connected determination circuits and the output terminal, using and outputting the determination signal as the output signal from the output terminal.

11. A piece of automatic device, comprising: a controller;a movable member, communicatively connected to the controller;a plurality of safety apparatuses, each of the plurality of safety apparatuses comprising: a contact detector, for detecting a contact event of the safety apparatus, and outputting a contact signal; anda module, comprising: a first input terminal, communicatively connected to the contact detector, for receiving the contact signal;an output terminal, communicatively connected to the first input terminal, for outputting an output signal when the first input terminal receives the contact signal; anda second input terminal, communicatively connected to the output terminal, being capable of communicatively connecting to an output terminal of another safety apparatus among the plurality of safety apparatuses;wherein, the plurality of safety apparatuses are sequentially cascaded to one another, wherein an output terminal of one of the safety apparatuses is communicatively connected to the controller, an output terminal of one of the remaining safety apparatuses is communicatively connected to the second input terminal of the next safety apparatus, and upon receiving the output signal from the output terminal of the one safety apparatus among the plurality of safety apparatuses, the controller changes a motion state of the movable member of the automatic device.

12. The automatic device according to claim 11, wherein the contact detector of each of the plurality of safety apparatuses comprises: two film layers, having a first inner surface and a second inner surface opposite to each other;two electrode layers, arranged on the first inner surface and the second inner surface, respectively, the two electrode layers being spaced by a gap;at least one sensing layer, arranged on at least one of the two electrode layers; anda gap layer, arranged between the two film layers to maintain the gap between the two electrode layers.

13. The automatic device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one sensing layer comprises a pressure sensitive material covering one of the two electrode layers, and the pressure sensitive material comprises at least one electrically conductive substance.

14. The automatic device according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of safety apparatuses further comprises: an indicator component, communicatively connected to the module, and operating when the output terminal outputs the output signal.

15. The automatic device according to claim 14, wherein the indicator component is a light emitting component.

16. The automatic device according to claim 14, wherein the module of each of the plurality of safety apparatuses further comprises: two parallel-connected output switches, connected in series between the first input terminal and the indicator component.

17. The automatic device according to claim 11, wherein the second input terminal of one safety apparatus among the plurality of safety apparatuses is shorted in a loop.

18. The automatic device according to claim 11, wherein the output signal is an on/off signal.

19. The automatic device according to claim 11, wherein the motion state comprises a stop state.

20. The automatic device according to claim 11, wherein the module of each of the plurality of safety apparatuses further comprises: two parallel-connected determination circuits, communicatively connected to the first input terminal, for determining whether the contact signal is greater than a threshold, and outputting a determination signal when the contact signal is greater than the threshold; andtwo parallel-connected output switches, connected in series between the two parallel-connected determination circuits and the output terminal, using and outputting the determination signal as the output signal from the output terminal.

21. The automatic device according to claim 11, further comprising: an intermediate device, connected in series between the plurality of safety apparatuses and the controller, comprising two sets of parallel-connected output switches, and receiving the output signal and outputting the output signal to the controller.