Safety switch
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorDavid Howard Kerr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A safety switch that includes a locking mechanism having a rod locking element that is located adjacent to a rod and engageable with the rod to lock the rod in position relative to a housing. The safety switch locking mechanism includes a locking member that is moveable relative to the housing in response to a difference in inertia between the locking member and the housing when a force is applied to the housing. The locking member is arranged to inhibit disengagement of the rod-locking element from the rod when the force is applied to the housing.
Claims16
A safety switch, comprising:
- a housing;
- a set of electrical contacts located within the housing;
- a rod, axially moveable within the housing to open and close the set of contacts;
- a locking mechanism arranged to lock the rod in position relative to the housing, the locking mechanism comprising a rod locking element located adjacent to the rod and engageable with the rod to lock it in position relative to the housing;
- a solenoid fixed in position relative to the housing;
- a solenoid plunger slideably mounted in the solenoid, the solenoid plunger being connected to the rod locking element, and being arranged such that moving the solenoid plunger relative to the solenoid actuates the rod locking element;
- the solenoid plunger being moveable in a first direction and the locking mechanism, being moveable in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
- the solenoid plunger being connected to a moveable connecting member by a pivot member pivotable about a pivot point fixed in position relative to the housing, the pivot member being arranged to translate movement of the solenoid plunger in the first direction to movement of the connecting member in the second direction;
- and
- a locking member that is moveable relative to the housing in response to a difference in inertia between the locking member and the housing when a force is applied to the housing, the locking member being arranged to inhibit disengagement of the rod locking element from the rod when the force is applied to the housing.
A safety switch assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a solenoid having a plunger that is slideably mounted in the solenoid and disposed within the housing;
- a movable rod disposed within the housing and oriented in a generally parallel alignment with the plunger;
- a rotatable cam arrangement located within the housing and oriented so that rotation of a cam causes axial movement of the rod to open and close a set of electrical contacts;
- an actuator that removably cooperates with the safety switch housing to rotate the cam;
- a first locking member moveably disposed between the plunger and the moveable rod and operatively connected therebetween so that movement of the plunger actuates the first locking member, the first locking member being arranged to lock the rod in position once the actuator has engaged with the cam arrangement, and prevent rotation of the cam arrangement, and prevent disengagement of the actuator from the cam arrangement;
- and a second locking member that is moveably supported relative to the housing so that a difference in inertia between the second locking member and the housing is generated when the housing is subjected to an impact force, the second locking member being configured to engage the first locking member to prevent movement of the first locking member when the housing is subjected to the impact force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.