Operator protection system for electric saw
AssigneeScott Automation & Robotics Pty Ltd.
InventorClyde Mark Campbell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A safety apparatus for protecting an operator of an electrically powered saw from the blade during operation, the saw being of the type including a cutting table through which the blade passes, comprising: an image processing arrangement operable to sense, within a predefined three-dimensional sensing zone, the presence of a glove worn by the operator which has a colour distinguishable by the image sensor from the colour of an object being cut by the blade, the three-dimensional sensing zone being located in a cutting path of the blade; and an electronic controller communicable with the image sensor and operable to control an arresting mechanism to arrest movement of the blade responsive to the coloured glove being detected within the three-dimensional sensing zone.
Claims19
A safety apparatus for protecting an operator of an electrically powered saw from a blade during operation, the saw being of the type including a cutting table through which the blade passes, comprising:
- an image processing arrangement operable to sense, within a predefined three-dimensional sensing zone, the presence of a coloured glove worn by the operator which has a colour distinguishable by the image sensor from a colour of an object being cut by the blade, the three-dimensional sensing zone being located in a cutting path of the blade;
- and
- an electronic controller communicable with the image processing arrangement and operable to control an arresting mechanism to arrest movement of the blade responsive to the coloured glove being detected within the three-dimensional sensing zone;
- wherein the three-dimensional sensing zone has a shape which is configurable by the controller depending on the object being cut, and wherein the shape has a generally rectangular profile haying a longitudinal axis aligned with that of the blade.
A method for protecting an operator of an electrically powered saw from a blade of the saw during operation, the saw being of the type including a cutting table through which the blade passes, and the method comprising:
- providing a coloured glove to be worn by the operator;
- providing an image processing and control arrangement operable to sense, within a predefined three-dimensional sensing zone, the presence of the coloured glove worn by the operator and which has a colour which is distinguishable by the image processing and control arrangement from an object being cut by the blade, the three-dimensional sensing zone being located in a cutting path of the blade;
- and
- responsive to the image processing and control arrangement determining the presence of the coloured glove within the three-dimensional sensing zone, controlling an arresting mechanism to arrest movement of the blade;
- wherein the three-dimensional sensing zone has a shape which is configurable by the image processing and control arrangement depending on the object being cut, and wherein the shape has a generally rectangular profile having a longitudinal axis aligned with that of the blade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.