# US 11,310,887 B2 · Device for securing a safety area around at least one automatically operating machine

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- Number: US 11,310,887 B2
- Document ID: US11310887B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/750,717
- Filed: 2016-08-10
- Published: 2019-01-17
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-10
- Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.
- Applicants: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
- Inventors: Norbert Elkmann; Christian Vogel; Markus Fritzsche
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310887B2

## CPC

- H05B 47/115: by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
- B25J 13/081: {Touching devices, e.g. pressure-sensitive}
- B25J 19/021: {Optical sensing devices}
- B25J 19/06: Safety devices
- F16P 3/142: {using image capturing devices}
- F16P 3/144: {using light grids}
- G05B 19/048: Monitoring; Safety
- G08B 21/22: responsive to presence or absence of persons
- H05B 45/00: Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
- G05B 9/02: electric
- G05B 2219/40196: Projecting light on floor to delimit danger zone around robot
- Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- F16P: SAFETY DEVICES IN GENERAL; {SAFETY DEVICES FOR PRESSES}
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

The invention relates to a device for securing a safety area around at least one automatically operating machine (3), comprising an illuminating marking (4; 5) of the safety area and/or a boundary of the safety area, a sensor-based monitoring device for detecting a breach of the safety area, and a control device (1) for controlling the machine (3), for defining the safety area, for controlling a shape, structure and/or a location of the illuminating marking, and for changing the operating state of the machine (3) or the light source (6, 7) in a manner which is dependent on a detection of a breach of the safety area by way of the monitoring device. The device is characterised in that a multiplicity of light sources (6, 7) which can be actuated in a spatially resolved manner and in each case comprise an inactive and at least one active operating mode are arranged on or in the surface (2) which delimits the safety area, wherein the operating mode of the light sources (6, 7) can be controlled by way of the control device (1), and the illuminating marking (4; 5) is configured as at least one of the light sources (6, 7) in an active operating mode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for securing a safety area around at least one automatically operating machine, comprising:
a visible or invisible illuminating marking, which is arranged on or in at least one surface delimiting the safety area and by means of which at least one of at least part of the safety area or at least part of a boundary of the safety area is marked,
a sensor-based monitoring device configured to detect a breach of the safety area,
a control device configured to control the machine and to change the safety area in correspondence with a movement of the machine and to control a location of the illuminating marking in correspondence with the changed safety area, and, depending on a detection of a breach of the safety area by the monitoring device, also configured to at least one of change an operating state of the machine and change an operating mode of at least one light source and to trigger an alarm,
wherein a multiplicity of light sources which can be actuated in a spatially resolved manner is arranged on or in the surface delimiting the safety area, wherein each of the light sources comprises an inactive and at least one active operating mode, wherein the operating mode of the light sources can be controlled by way of the control device, and wherein the illuminating marking is formed as multiple of the light sources in an active operating mode,
wherein upon a change of the safety area, at least one light source which is no longer required for the illuminating marking of the changed safety area is switched from an active operating mode to an inactive operating mode by the control device and at least one other light source which was previously in an inactive operating mode is switched into an active operating mode by the control device, thereby controlling the location of the illuminating marking in correspondence with the changed safety area, and wherein upon a change of the safety area, the monitoring device is further configured to detect a breach of the changed safety area.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring device comprises a spatially resolving, touch-sensitive sensor system with a multiplicity of sensor cells, which are arranged on or in the surface delimiting the safety area.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The securing device according to claim 2, wherein the monitoring device is designed to detect a breach of the safety area when contact above a defined threshold value is detected within the safety area by means of the sensor system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The securing device according to claim 2, wherein each of the multiplicity of sensor cells is locally assigned at least one of the light sources.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The securing device according to claim 2, wherein the multiplicity of light sources and sensor cells are formed as combined light-sensor mats.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring device comprises a recording device for visually monitoring the illuminating marking of the safety area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The securing device according to claim 6, wherein the monitoring device is designed to detect a breach of the safety area when at least a predefined number of the light sources marking the safety area are not detected by the recording device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is formed as a laser scanner.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the light sources are arranged on or in the surface regularly and close-meshed with a maximum spacing of 10 cm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the control device, in the event of a movement of the machine, is configured to change the safety area dynamically and in correspondence with the movement of the machine.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is further configured to change the safety area depending on a change in the operating state of the machine.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured, in the event of a change to the safety area, to change at least one of the marking or the operating mode of at least one of the light sources.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is further configured to control the operating mode of each of the light sources individually.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is further configured to modulate the light sources in respect of at least one of their color, brightness or frequency.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is also configured to divide the safety area into at least a first and a second safety area, and wherein at least part of the first safety area or at least part of a boundary of the first safety area, and at least part of the second safety area or at least part of a boundary of the second safety area is marked by the illuminating marking.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein at least two different safety areas or safety levels of a safety area that are disjunct, nested one inside the other, or overlapping are marked by at least one of different colors, different brightnesses, or different frequencies of the light sources.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The securing device according to claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the multiplicity of light sources are arranged on or in light mats.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

Use of a device according to claim 1 to secure a safety area of a machine.

### Claim 19

A method for securing a safety area of a machine, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
defining the safety area of the machine;
actuating light sources by means of a control device, in such a way that the safety area of the machine is marked by a visible or invisible illuminating marking which is arranged on or in at least one surface delimiting the safety area of the machine;
changing the safety area of the machine in correspondence with a movement of the machine;
controlling a location of the marked safety area in correspondence with the changed safety area;
actuating the light sources by means of the control device, in such a way that the changed safety area is marked, wherein upon a change of the safety area, at least one light source which is no longer required for the illuminating marking of the changed safety area is switched from an active operating mode to an inactive operating mode by the control device and at least one other light source which was previously in an inactive operating mode is switched into an active operating mode by the control device, thereby controlling the location of the illuminating marking in correspondence with the changed safety area; and
upon a change of the safety area, detecting a breach of the changed safety area.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
dividing the safety area into at least a first and a second safety area, wherein at least part of the first safety area or at least part of a boundary of the first safety area, and at least part of the second safety area or at least part of a boundary of the second safety area is marked by the actuating light sources.