US 2018/0345294 A1Published application

Safety system and method for cutting machine

OwnerJeff Buchanan, Mark Buchananinventors

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Abstract

A safety system prevents cutting machine operators from being accidentally carried through the infeed chute into the machine's cutting mechanism. An operator wears a safety device on his wrist and/or ankle and a sensor array mounts on opposing sides of the cutting machine's infeed chute. The sensor array elements are wound in opposite directions and connect in series opposing. The magnetic field of the safety device induces a current in the sensor array as it moves in the proximity of the sensor array. The safety system generates a signal which is proportional to the sum of the induced currents. When the signal exceeds a threshold, the safety system shuts off power to the feed mechanism and/or the cutting blades of the cutting machine, preventing injury to the operator.

Claims1

Dependent claims

A safety system for a machine comprising:

a sensor array comprising at least two sensor elements having conductive windings, each sensor element comprising a protective plate and a conductive winding, each conductive winding comprising at least one loop of wire, the sensor elements mounted on opposing sides of an infeed chute;
a sensor circuit configured to sense a current induced in the conductive windings by a magnetic field of a magnetic safety device, the current induced by moving the magnetic safety device proximate to the sensor array, the sensor circuit further comprising an amplifier that generates an amplified signal proportional to the current;
and
a comparator to compare the amplified signal to a threshold value, wherein the operation of the machine is interrupted when the amplified signal is greater than the threshold value.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/970,668Filed 3 May 2018
Priority: 17 Dec 2010
Published: 6 Dec 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

B02C 23/04
Auxiliary methods or auxiliary devices or accessories specially adapted for crushing or disintegrating not provided for in preceding groups or…
B26D 7/24
Safety devices specially adapted for cutting machines: arranged to disable the operating means for the cutting member
F16P 3/145
The means being photocells or other devices sensitive without mechanical contact: using magnetic technology
F16P 3/147
The means being photocells or other devices sensitive without mechanical contact: using electro-magnetic technology, e.g. tags or radar

Family

Application61/424,570Us provisional application · filed 17 Dec 2010
Application13/191,997Continuation · filed 27 Jul 2011
Application14/013,515Continuation · filed 29 Aug 2013
Application14/807,176Continuation · filed 23 Jul 2015
Application15/136,175Continuation · filed 22 Apr 2016
Application15/970,668Continuation
US 2012/0152073 A1Published application
US 2013/0341441 A1Published application
US 2016/0016178 A1Published application
US 2016/0310955 A1Published application
US 8,528,452 B2Related patent
US 2018/0345294 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.