Safety switching apparatus

• US 20030136653A1
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jurgen Menz
• Original Assignee: Jurgen Menz
• Inventors: Menz, Jurgen
• Application Number:
  US10/348,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20030136653A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/61.02
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/431 specially adapted for vehicle windows or roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

A safety switching apparatus for power-operated equipment, for power-operated machinery and for power-operated windows, doors, sliding equipment and the like, in particular of vehicles, having at least a light source, an optical waveguide (1), a light sensor and an associated control unit that controls the driving of the equipment in dependence on the intensity of light received by the light sensor, the optical waveguide (1) having a light-guiding core (2) with a high refraction coefficient and an outer wall (3) surrounding the light-guiding core (2) and having a lower refraction coefficient than the light guiding core (2), the light-guiding core (2) and/or that outer wall (3) being fabricated from a material that is in a liquid or elastically deformable state in the optical waveguide (1) ready for service.

Claims

1. A safety switching apparatus for power-operated equipment such as sliding gates, sliding grilles, elevating platforms, work platforms, work tables and the like, for power-operated machinery such as robots and driverless transport systems, and for power-operated windows, doors, sliding equipment and the like, in particular of vehicles, having at least a light source, an optical waveguide (1), a light sensor and an associated control unit that controls the driving of the equipment in dependence on the intensity of light received by the light sensor, said optical waveguide (1) comprising:

a light-guiding core (2) with a high refraction coefficient and

an outer wall (3) surrounding said light-guiding core (2), said outer wall (3) having a lower refraction coefficient than said light-guiding core (2) and, wherein said light-guiding core (2) and said outer wall (3) permit flexing of said optical waveguide (1).

2. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light-guiding core (2) is a liquid.

3. The safety switching apparatus of claim 2 wherein said outer wall (3) is elastically deformable.

4. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light guiding core (2) is elastically deformable and said outer wall (3) is a liquid.

5. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guiding core (2) is a silicone gel.

6. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light guiding core (2) is an oil.

7. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light guiding core (2) is a resin.

8. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein said outer wall (3) is a hose body made of a thermoplastic material.

9. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 having a protective layer (4) surrounding said outer wall (3).

10. The safety switching apparatus of claim 9 wherein said protective layer (4) is an optically protective layer.

11. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein said optical waveguide (1) has a quadrilateral cross section.

12. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein said optical waveguide (1) has a tape shape.

13. The safety switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light source and said light sensor have pluglike extentions which are adapted to the inside dimensions of said outer wall (3).

14. A method of fabricating an optical waveguide comprising the steps of:

providing a hollow outer wall (3);

forming a light guiding core by inserting a gel under pressure into said hollow outer wall (3) and

curing said gel into an elastically deformable mass inside said outer wall.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said light guiding core has a high refraction coefficient and said outer wall is fabricated from a material having a lower refraction coefficient than said light guiding core (2).

16. A method of fabricating tapelike optical waveguides, comprising the steps of:

providing a first film,

applying a light guiding gel material on said first film,

placing a second film on top of said material to form a composite,

curing said light guiding gel and

cutting said composite into tapelike strips.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said light guiding film has a high refraction coefficient and said first and second films have a refraction coefficient lower than said refraction coefficient of said light guiding film.

18. The method of claim 17 and further comprising the step of placing an adhesive material on one side of said composite.