US 5,880,954 A · Continous real time safety-related control system

Abstract

A safety-related control system (SRCS) designed to safeguard personnel operating hazardous production equipment. The SRCS integrates the safety-related part of a machine into one homogenous system for the purpose of increasing safety. In so doing, the SRCS monitors the machine, the operator, and itself for safe operation. The SRCS utilizes a non-material barrier to sense the intrusion of a person's body into a hazardous area of a machine. The SRCS uses machine feedback and/or operator interface to determine whether a hazardous condition is present. If such condition is present, the hazard is rendered harmless by the time the intruding body member can reach the potential danger area. The system includes separable means for stopping motion of the moving parts of the equipment, starting movement of the movable parts, and detecting faults in sections of the system.

Claims44

Dependent claims

A control system for detecting and initiating cessation of hazardous machinery, said system comprising:

a. detecting means for sensing an intrusion of an object into a hazard zone of machinery;
b. means for initiating a stop of motion of said machinery within a fixed response time;
c. temporal monitoring means to monitor an elapsed time between detection of said intrusion into said hazard zone and a change of state of at least one interposing device within a stop sequence of said machinery, wherein the at least one interposing device is designed to effect stopping of said machinery;
d. machinery-interface means for connecting said system to said machinery;
and
e. a controller for controlling said detecting means, said means for initiating said stop motion, said temporal monitoring means, and said machinery-interface means, wherein said controller is designed to control said means for initiating said stop motion in conjunction with said temporal monitoring means so as to determine that said change of state of said one or more interposing devices occurs within said fixed response time in order to stop motion of said machinery within a desired period of time.

3 more elements

A control system for detecting and initiating motion of machinery, said system comprising:

a. means for enabling motion of said machinery;
b. means for initiating motion of said machinery;
c. means for detecting motion of said machinery, wherein said means for detecting motion of said machinery is placed proximal to said machinery;
d. means for determining positioning of one or more movable parts of said machinery;
and
e. a controller coupled to and for controlling:
i. said means for enabling motion of said machinery,
ii. said means for initiating motion of said machinery,
iii. said means for detecting motion of said machinery, and
iv. said means for determining positioning of said one or more movable parts,
wherein said controller is coupled to said machinery in a manner that regulates motion of said machinery based upon receiving a signal from said means for detecting motion of said machinery that said movable parts of said machinery are located in a predefined position, that said means for enabling motion has been actuated based upon receiving a signal from said means for enabling motion, and that said means for initiating motion has been actuated based upon receiving a signal from said means for initiating motion, providing said means for detecting motion delivers to said controller a signal confirming that said machinery has not been actuated.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Continous real time safety-related control system

Life of this patent

Continous real time safety-related control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims44