# US 10,374,526 B2 · Obstruction detection device and monitor device

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- Number: US 10,374,526 B2
- Document ID: US10374526B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/404,762
- Filed: 2017-01-12
- Published: 2017-09-14
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-08
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yuki Odoriba
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374526B2

## CPC

- H02P 3/06: for stopping or slowing an individual dynamo-electric motor or dynamo-electric converter
- B64D 11/0015: {Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television}
- B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments
- G01B 7/30: for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
- G01S 17/08: for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48)
- H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

A monitor device includes exterior panel, chassis partly or wholly surrounded by exterior panel, and disposed so as to be movable in an internal space of exterior panel, a base member that movably supports chassis, first switch and second switch that detect a change of a relative position between exterior panel and chassis, a motor that causes chassis to move with respect to the base member, and a CPU that controls driving of the motor in response to a change of a relative position between exterior panel and chassis detected by first switch and second switch.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An obstruction detection device comprising:
a chassis configured to rotate about a first axis;
an actuator configured to rotate the chassis about the first axis:
an exterior panel configured to partly or wholly surround the chassis, the exterior panel being movable with respect to the chassis; and
a detection unit configured to detect a change of a relative position between the exterior panel and the chassis,
wherein the exterior panel is rotatable about a second axis independently of the chassis, the second axis extending through a first side surface and a second side surface of the chassis, and the second axis extending parallel to the first axis,
an upper end of the exterior panel, which is adjacent the first axis, is configured to shift with respect to the first axis when the exterior panel and chassis rotate independently of one another, and
wherein the exterior panel is coupled to the chassis on a location of each side surface of the exterior panel corresponding to the second axis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The obstruction detection device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is at least one switch disposed on the chassis so as to be able to be pressed by the exterior panel, and detects a change of a relative position between the exterior panel and the chassis by pressing of the switch.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The obstruction detection device according to claim 2, wherein the switch detects a change of a relative position between the exterior panel and the chassis in a plurality of 2 directions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The obstruction detection device according to claim 2, wherein the detection unit contains two switches and the two switches are each disposed on a different surface on the chassis so as to be able to be pressed by the exterior panel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The obstruction detection device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is a distance sensor that is disposed inside the exterior panel, and detects a distance between the exterior panel and the chassis, and detects a change of a relative position between the exterior panel and the chassis by a change of output information of the distance sensor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The obstruction detection device according to claim 1, wherein the exterior panel and the chassis are each disposed rotatably a round a first shaft, and the detection unit is an angle sensor that measures a relative angle between the exterior panel and the chassis around the first shaft, and detects a change of a relative position between the exterior panel and the chassis by a change of output information of the angle sensor.

### Claim 7

A monitor device comprising:
a chassis configured to rotate about a first axis;
an exterior panel configured to partly or wholly surround the chassis, the exterior panel being movable with respect to the chassis;
a base member that movably supports the chassis;
a detection unit configured to detect a change of a relative position between the exterior panel and the chassis;
an actuator that causes the chassis to move with respect to the base member; and
a controller that controls driving of the actuator in response to a change of a relative position between the exterior panel and the chassis detected by the detection unit;
wherein the exterior panel is rotatable about a second axis independently of the chassis, the second axis extending through a first side surface and a second side surface of the chassis, and the second axis extending parallel to the first axis,
an upper end of the exterior panel, which is adjacent the first axis, is configured to shift with respect to the first axis when the exterior panel and chassis rotate independently of one another, and
wherein the exterior panel is coupled to the chassis on a location of each side surface of the exterior panel corresponding to the second axis.
