Safety switch with touch panel for monitoring access to machines or industrial plants

A safety switch for monitoring access to machines or industrial plants to stop the machines or industrial plants upon the opening of said access, the safety switch, the safety switch comprising:

• a switching device (5, 105) having a casing (6, 106) adapted to be anchored to a fixed part (F) of the access (A) to be monitored and housing switching means adapted to be connected to one or more control and/or service circuits of the machine or plant for the control thereof and electric and/or electronic control means adapted to be connected with one or more control and/or signalling circuits of the machine or plant;
• an operating device (2, 102) adapted to be anchored to a movable part (M) of the access (A) to interact with said switching means when the access (A) is opened/closed for the opening/closure of one or more of said circuits and operating shutdown of the machine or industrial plant upon the opening of the access (A);
• means for detecting the opening of the access (A) associated with said switching device (5, 105) and with said operating device (2, 102) for sending a stop command of the machine or plant to said control means upon the detection or request for the opening of the access (A);
• wherein said switching device (5, 105) comprises driving means (9, 109) connected to said control means for sending activation/deactivation and/or signalling controls;
• wherein said driving means (9, 109) comprise at least one touch monitor (10, 110) integrated into said casing (6, 106) and provided with one or more virtual controls associated to respective actions and at least one microprocessor suitable for associating said one or more virtual controls with a control and/or signalling function and to associate one or more of said virtual controls to one of the circuits of the machine or plant by means of said control means.