Capacitively coupled machine tool safety system
First Claim
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1. A machine tool safety system comprising:
- an electric field generator adapted to be carried on a portion of the person of a machine tool operator for generating an electric field;
a capacitive receptor antenna mountable in a predetermined location with respect to a machine tool and cooperable with the electric field generator to form a capacitively coupled transmission arrangement operative to induce, by the action of the electric field through the capacitive coupling, a monotonically increasing electrical signal the magnitude of which is functionally related to the distance between the electric field generator and the capacitive receptor antenna; and
a signal processor connected to the capacitive receptor antenna and responsive to the signal induced in the capacitive receptor antenna by the electric field to generate an indication when the magnitude of the induced electrical signal exceeds a indication predetermined threshold, the first indicator being able to be used to permit safe operation of a machine tool.
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Abstract
A safety system for a machine tool is characterized by a capacitively coupled electric field generator (transmitter) and a capacitive receptor antenna. An electrical signal is induced in the capacitive receptor antenna by the action of the electric field. The magnitude of the induced signal is monotonically related to the distance between the electric field generator and the capacitive receptor antenna. When the magnitude of the electrical signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, a machine tool safety indicator is developed.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A machine tool safety system comprising:
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an electric field generator adapted to be carried on a portion of the person of a machine tool operator for generating an electric field; a capacitive receptor antenna mountable in a predetermined location with respect to a machine tool and cooperable with the electric field generator to form a capacitively coupled transmission arrangement operative to induce, by the action of the electric field through the capacitive coupling, a monotonically increasing electrical signal the magnitude of which is functionally related to the distance between the electric field generator and the capacitive receptor antenna; and a signal processor connected to the capacitive receptor antenna and responsive to the signal induced in the capacitive receptor antenna by the electric field to generate an indication when the magnitude of the induced electrical signal exceeds a indication predetermined threshold, the first indicator being able to be used to permit safe operation of a machine tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A machine tool safety system comprising:
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an electric field generator adapted to generate an electric field that varies at a predetermined frequency, the electric field generator being sized so as to be carried on a portion of the person of a machine tool operator; a capacitive receptor antenna mountable to the machine tool and cooperable with the electric field generator to form a capacitively coupled transmission arrangement operative to induce, by the action of the electric field through the capacitive coupling, a monotonically increasing electrical signal the magnitude of which is functionally related to the distance between the electric field generator and the capacitive receptor antenna; and a signal processor connected to the capacitive receptor antenna and responsive to the signal induced in the capacitive receptor antenna by the electric field to generate a first and a second indication when the magnitude of the induced signal respectively exceeds a first and a second threshold, the first and second indications being able to be used to permit safe operation of the machine tool, the signal processor including a receiver tuned to respond to the signal induced in the capacitive receptor antenna at the predetermined frequency. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification