Input/output methodology for control reliable interconnection of safety light curtains and other machine safety controls
AssigneeBanner Engineering Corp.
InventorDane Weber
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention involves a methodology for the interconnection of safety control modules used for the safeguarding of personnel around points and areas of hazardous machine operation. The system includes one or more safety control modules connected together so that the safety control modules communicate with each other using actively diverse safety control signals. The safety control modules are also connected to the machine safety control circuit so that the safety control modules can stop machine operation when one or more safety control modules are activated. The use of actively diverse safety control signals provides a control reliable system.
Claims12
A control reliable machine safety control system comprising:
- one or more safety control modules connected in a control reliable manner, the safety control modules each comprising:
- one or more sensor terminals connected to one or more safety control sensors;
- two or more input terminals used to receive and identify two or more first actively diverse safety control signals;
- and
- two or more output terminals used to communicate two or more second actively diverse safety control signals according to a pulse signal definition;
- a machine safety control circuit, the machine safety control circuit connected to one or more of the safety control modules in a control reliable manner and wherein the machine safety control circuit controls the operation of a machine.
A method for implementing a control reliable safety control module, the steps comprising:
- receiving two or more first actively diverse safety control signals at the inputs of a first safety control module;
- identifying the first actively diverse safety control signals;
- and
- communicating two or more second actively diverse safety control signals from the outputs of the first safety control module.
A method for implementing a control reliable system, the steps comprising:
- communicating two or more actively diverse safety control signals to a first safety control module;
- identifying the two or more actively diverse safety control signals by the first safety control module;
- communicating the two or more actively diverse safety control signals by the first safety control module to a second safety control module;
- identifying the two or more actively diverse safety control signals by the second safety control module;
- and
- communicating the two or more actively diverse safety control signals by the second safety control module to a third safety control module or to a machine safety control circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.