Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6392169
-
Patent Number
6,392,169
-
Date Filed
Friday, April 21, 200024 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, May 21, 200222 years ago
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 200 1 R
- 200 17 R
- 200 18
- 200 4201
- 200 52 R
- 200 51 LM
- 200 330
- 200 334
- 307 113
- 307 114
- 361 189
- 361 190
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A safety device for control of working apparatuses, e.g. presses, for which start and operation modes depend on essentially simultaneous activation of two separate operating devices, which are each controlled by the respective hands of the operator. Each operating device consists of two separate push buttons. The push buttons are arranged in a housing at a mutual distance from each other, which requires a two-hand operation, e.g. with at least two fingers. The push buttons are situated at a distance from each other.
Description
The present invention relates to a safety device for control of working apparatuses (
19
), e.g., presses, which start and operation modes are dependant of essentially simultaneous activation of two separate operating devices (
11
), which each are being controlled by an operator by means of each hand.
THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND THE PROBLEM
The two hand operating device is a safety device to protect the operator from reaching into areas, which can be dangerous to him, for instance starting a dangerous machine movement. According to present directions, the operating devices must be placed in specific given positions, where the shortest distance of protection can be calculated according to the formula s=v×t, where s is the distance of protection, v=the hand speed (normally 1.6 m/s when standing or slower work and 2.5 when seated and higher working tempo) and t=the total stopping time of the machine in ms. The control buttons can either be placed in a common housing or be totally separated.
The buttons of the operating devices are surrounded by protective housings to avoid the undeliberated release of the operating device by the operating person or even deliberately by e.g. usage of one of the fingers on one hand and the elbow and with the other hand feeding a work piece into the machine. The protective housings are arranged so that the push buttons are not affected from above, only by pressing from the side. This leads to ergonomically disadvantageous and tiring body posture, together with a decreased working tempo, since the operator has to look at the operating device in order to pass the protective housings.
THE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a two hand device which:
neither undeliberately or deliberately can be released by using just one hand, a hand and an arm/elbow, a hand and a foot or in another way, giving the operator a possibility to walk around the safety directions;
will fulfill highly put ergonomical demands;
lacks protective housings which makes the finding of the buttons more difficult;
ensures a rapid and safe starting, and retaining the work operation without being tiring;
characterized by a simple, reliable and cheap design.
The Solution of the Problem
The above mentioned objects have been solved by that the push buttons are situated in different relative to, preferably from each other faced planes, that the housing is designed as a rounded knob, e.g. elliptical or hemi-spherical, with a push button arranged on each side of the length axis of the body, and that the housing between the two push buttons is designed with an elevated part, e.g. designed as a ridge or the like, relatively the push buttons in order to separate the operating fingers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will below be closer described, in some embodiments with reference to the enclosed drawings.
FIGS. 1-3
shows a side view, a view from above and a front view of a first embodiment of an operating device of the invention.
FIG. 4
shows a circuit diagram for two operating devices included in a safety device, according to FIG.
3
.
FIG. 5
shows in perspective a second embodiment of a operating device.
FIG. 6
shows in a view from above a third variant of an embodiment of an operating device.
FIG. 7
shows a cut through VI—VII in FIG.
6
.
FIG. 8
shows a further modified operating device according to the invention, one left part in a cross-section and the other right part in a side view.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
The safety device according to the invention comprises two separate operating devices
11
, one for each hand, which devices are firmly arranged on a support, at a directed distance from each other. Each operating device consists of a housing
12
with a base plate
13
or a socket
14
(
FIG. 8
) intended to be attached to the support, which can be a desk (not shown) or the like. The operating devices
11
are each provided with two push buttons
15
and
16
, which by pressing each affects one micro switch
17
, arranged inside the housing
12
. Both operating devices
11
are connected to a safety relay
18
, which controls that all four push buttons
15
,
16
is affected within a certain period of time, e.g. 0.5 s, which time period is controlled by a time relay (not shown) and must remain affected in order to activate the output of the relay and enable the starting of the machine
19
in question. If any of the push buttons is released the machine will be stopped. Restarting of the machine requires that all four push buttons have been released before a new start can be initiated. Short-circuiting or power failure will lead to a interruption of a begun machine movement. A restart can not be performed until the error has been corrected.
In the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 1
to
3
, the housing
12
has a globe-shape with an essentially planar end gable
20
in one end, whereas the other end has a soft rounding
21
, in the shape of a curved hand and serves as a support for the hand. The push buttons
15
and
16
are partly recessed in oval cavities
22
and localised on each side of and essentially symmetrical relative to the length axis
23
of the globe. The housing
12
is arranged so that the thumb and the index and/or the middle finger comfortably can press down the push buttons, and the reset spring of the push buttons have a relatively low spring constant, which means that only a minor force is required to affect the buttons. Preferably, the housing is made of a firm polymeric material, whereas the touching surfaces of the buttons consist of a elastic polymeric material, which is liquid-proof connected, with the material in the housing, so that the electrical components inside the housing are totally encapsulated.
The embodiment according to
FIG. 5
differs from the preceding ones in that the housing
12
has been given an extended support surface
24
for the palm. Additionally, the push buttons
15
,
16
are not symmetrically arranged, but still more adapted to the shape of a “normal” hand, with the push button for the thumb recessed in a groove
25
in the housing
12
and the other push button located on the surface.
The embodiment according to
FIGS. 6 and 7
relates to a housing, which between the push buttons is provided with an elevated and/or a brought-forward part
26
, which is intended to separate the operating fingers. The push buttons
15
,
16
, which are rotatable along a joint axle
27
, is arranged with a step
28
, which by pressing the push button affects the micro switch
17
.
The embodiment according to
FIG. 8
is the most preferred variant, which essentially has a pear shape, where the push buttons
15
,
16
are located at its spherical part, either both buttons on the side or at the top and on the side.
The shape of the housing in all embodiments have been selected, so that the operator also in the darkness easily finds the operating devices and their push buttons and are ergonomically designed as to give the hands a good support.
Claims
- 1. A safety control of working apparatuses comprising first and second operating devices, each of said operating devices comprising two separate push buttons and a housing having both a bisecting length axis and a raised divider along its length, each of said push buttons having a contact surface for deployment and each of said push buttons being situated on opposing sides of said bisecting length axis of said housing, so as to separate the fingers of an operator depressing both of said push buttons.
- 2. The safety control of claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said housings has a shape selected from the group consisting of an elliptical shape, a substantially hemispherical shape, a pear shape, a teardrop shape and a rounded shape.
- 3. The safety control of claim 1, characterized in that said housings each define a pair of recesses, said push buttons being contained in said recesses.
- 4. The safety control of claim 1, characterized in that said housings are fabricated from a firm material, and said contact surfaces of said push buttons are fabricated from an elastic material.
- 5. The safety control of claim 1, characterized in that said housings are each provided with a support surface, said support surfaces being fashioned for conforming to the palm of a user's hand.
- 6. The safety control of claim 1, characterized in that said push buttons of said first and said second operating device are electrically connected to a time relay.
- 7. The safety control of claim 1, characterized in that said push buttons are spring-actuated with a relatively low spring constant.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
9703023 |
Aug 1997 |
SE |
|
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/SE98/01506 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO99/13262 |
3/18/1999 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (4)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2629720 |
Jan 1978 |
DE |
PCTSE9801506 |
Aug 1998 |
WO |