Safety switching arrangement

• US 6,417,582 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Original Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Inventors: Dold, Franz Josef, Niehus, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Rajnikant B.
• Application Number:
  US09/522,637
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 307/326, 307/327, 307/116, 307/125, 361/92, 361/93, 361/96, 361/62, 200/47, 200/313, 200/518, 180/63, 318/587
• US Class Current: 307/326
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/002 Monitoring or fail-safe circuits

Abstract

A safety switching arrangement has at least two break switches (12a, 12b, 12c) which are connected in series to an evaluation unit (11), in which case the evaluation unit (11) initiates a safety signal, in particular an alarm signal and/or disconnection signal, when at least one of the break switches (12a, 12b, 12c) opens, and determines which of the break switches (12a, 12b, 12c) has opened. At least one, and preferably all, of the break switches (12a, 12b, 12c) has or have an associated code signal generator (13a, 13b, 13c) which, when the associated break switch (12a, 12b, 12c) opens, supplies to the evaluation unit (11) a code signal which is characteristic of the relevant break switch (12a, 12b, 12c) via a line, in particular a diagnosis line (15) or safety line sections (16a, 16b, 16c), which leads to the evaluation unit (11) and is common to all the break switches (12a, 12b, 12c) associated with a code signal generator (13a, 13b, 13c), which code signal is analyzed in the evaluation unit (11) and is identified as coming from the relevant break switch (12a, 12b, 12c).

Claims

1. Safety switching arrangement comprising at least two break switches which are connected in series to an evaluation unit, in which case the evaluation unit initiates a safety signal when at least one of the break switches opens, and determines which of the break switches has opened, at least one of the break switches having an associated code signal generator which, when the associated break switch opens, supplies to the evaluation unit a code signal which is characteristic of the relevant break switch via a line which leads to the evaluation unit and is common to all break switches associated with a code signal generator, which code signal is analyzed in the evaluation unit and is identified as coming from the relevant break switch.

2. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein each break switch has an associated make switch which is operated jointly with it and activates the associated code signal generator when it closes.

3. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the code signal output of each code signal generator is applied to an input of the associated break switch when the latter opens, and wherein the code signal emitted by the relevant code signal generator is passed via the line leading to the open break switch and via the closed break switch located upstream of it to the evaluation unit, and is evaluated there.

4. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the code signal output of each code signal generator is applied, when the associated break switch opens, to a special diagnosis line which is common to all the break switches and leads to the evaluation unit where the code signal emitted by the activated code signal generator is evaluated.

5. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the code signal generator produces the code signal by a mechanical movement of the break switch.

6. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein each code signal generator is connected to the evaluation unit via a voltage supply line which is common to all code signal generators.

7. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein each code signal generator has an ASICS or microprocessor for code signal production.

8. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 7 wherein a signal output of the microprocessor is connected via an amplifier to the line leading to the evaluation unit, or to line sections leading to the evaluation unit.

9. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 8 wherein make switches are provided in an activation line which leads to an activation input of the microprocessor and branches off from a voltage supply, or are provided in a signal output path of the microprocessor.

10. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the evaluation unit has test-in, test-out, voltage supply and diagnosis-in connections.

11. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein all of the break switches have an associate code signal generator.

12. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the line comprises a diagnostic line.

13. Safety switching arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the line comprises a plurality of safety line sections.

14. Safety switching arrangement comprising at least two break switches at least one of which has an associated code signal generator for generating a code signal which is characteristic of the associated break switch, an evaluation unit, the break switches being connected in series to the evaluation unit, and a line leading to the evaluation unit and common to all break switches which have associated code signal generators for supplying the evaluation unit with the code signal which is characteristic of the associated break switch, the evaluation unit analyzing the code signal and determining the break switch with which the code signal is associated.