Safety system and a corresponding printing press

• US 7,908,969 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goss International Montataire, S.A. (Goss Systèmes Graphiques Nantes SA)
• Original Assignee: Goss International Montataire, S.A. (Goss Systèmes Graphiques Nantes SA)
• Inventors: Caulier, Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Judy
• Assistant Examiner(s): BANH, DAVID H
• Application Number:
  US11/402,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20060231746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 297/09, 101/480, 101/484, 250/221, 340/509, 382/103, 382/152, 382/165, 226/91, 226/92
• US Class Current: 101/480
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 33/0018 Protection means against injury to the operator
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/00 Safety devices acting in conjunction with the control or operation of a machine; Control arrangements requiring the simultaneous use of two or more parts of the body F16P5/00 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a safety system comprising at least two stationary detector elements each defining a respective first safety zone, said first safety zones not coinciding, a moving detector element, and a control unit connected to the stationary detector elements. The control unit is adapted to detect the presence of the moving detector element in one of the first safety zones. The invention is applicable to rotary printing presses.

Claims

1. A printing press comprising:

at least two print units;

an engagement device for engaging a print strip in the press, the engagement device comprising a transport member for transporting the end of the strip through the press; and

a safety system including;

at least two stationary detector elements each defining a respective first safety zone, the first safety zones not coinciding;

a moving detector element adapted to co-operate with the two stationary detector elements, the moving detector element being movable along a predetermined path, the stationary detector elements being disposed along the predetermined path in such a manner that the moving detector element is adapted to pass through the first safety zones;

a control unit connected at least to the stationary detector elements and adapted to detect the presence of the moving detector element in one of the first safety zones;

wherein, when transporting the end of the print strip through the printing press, the predetermined path is a path of the transport member, the moving detector element is secured to the transport member and the stationary detector elements are disposed along the path of the transport member in such a manner that the moving detector element passes in succession through the first safety zones during displacement along the path; and

a presence sensor adapted to detect the presence of an object in a second safety zone wherein the control unit is adapted to trigger the presence sensor when the moving detector element enters into one of the first safety zone and is adapted to verify the presence of an object upon the moving detector element entering the first safety zone.

2. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the object is a human being.

3. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the presence sensor is constrained to move with the moving detector element.

4. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the presence sensor is stationary relative to the stationary detector element, and wherein the second safety zone overlaps one of the first safety zones, at least in part.

5. The printing press according to claim 1, further comprising a warning device, and wherein the control system is adapted to trigger the warning device upon the moving detector element entering the second safety zone.

6. The printing press according to claim 5, wherein the warning device comprises audible and/or light-emitting warning members, and wherein a warning member is associated with each first safety zone.

7. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the at least two stationary detector elements are receptors of the wireless type and the moving detector element is an emitter of the wireless type.