Two-hand switch device

• US 7,928,610 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Azbil Corporation (Azbil BioVigilant Incorporated), Omron Corporation, Panasonic Industrial Devices SUNX Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), SUNX Limited, Yamatake Corporation
• Original Assignee: IDEC Corporation, Omron Corporation, Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), SUNX Limited, Yamataka Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Takashi, Furukawa, Hiroaki, Shutto, Manabu, Iida, Tatsuya, Koshi, Toshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US11/817,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20090146506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 307/326, 307/328
• US Class Current: 307/326
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/285 preventing a full press stroke if there is an obstruction in the working area
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/20 for electric control systems

Abstract

Task—To provide a two-hand switch device that requires only a small load for each operation cycle.

Means to Achieve the Task—The device comprises a left hand RF antenna placed in such a position as to enable a communication with the first RFID tag worn on the pre-determined position of the left hand of the worker only when the left hand of the worker is placed in a pre-determined left hand safe position, a right hand RF antenna placed in such a position as to enable a communication with the second RFID tag worn on the pre-determined position of the right hand of the worker only when the right hand of the worker is placed in a pre-determined right hand safe position and an output signal generating means for generating an output signal according to signals received by the left hand RF antenna and the right hand RF antenna.

Claims

1. A two-hand switch device, comprising:

a first RFID tag configured to be worn on a pre-determined position of a left hand of a worker;

a second RFID tag configured to be worn on a pre-determined position of a right hand of the worker;

a left hand RF antenna placed in such a position as to enable a communication with the first RFID tag worn on the pre-determined position of the left hand of the worker only when the left hand of the worker is placed in a pre-determined left hand safe position;

a right hand RF antenna placed in such a position as to enable a communication with the second RFID tag worn on the pre-determined position of the right hand of the worker only when the right hand of the worker is placed in a pre-determined right hand safe position; and

an output signal generating means for generating, only when it is determined that a time difference between a left reception time point and a right reception time point is within a tolerance, an output signal according to signals received by the left hand RF antenna and the right hand RF antenna.

2. The two-hand switch device according to claim 1, wherein the output signal generating means generates an output signal of a multi state output type that takes a first logic value at a state where both the signals from the left hand RF antenna and the right hand RF antenna are simultaneously present and otherwise takes a second logic value.

3. The two-hand switch device according to claim 1, wherein the output signal generating means generates an output signal of a multi state output type and generates a one shot pulse upon start and/or upon end of a state where the signals from the left hand RF antenna and the right hand RF antenna are simultaneously present.

4. The two-hand switch device according to claim 1, wherein the first RFID tag stores left hand identification information, and the second RFID tag stores right hand identification information, the output signal generating means generating a pre-determined output signal when the left hand identification information is received by the left hand RF antenna and the right hand identification information is received by the right hand RF antenna.

5. The two-hand switch device according to claim 1, wherein the first RFID tag stores individual worker identification information, and the second RFID tag stores individual worker identification information, the output signal generating means generating a pre-determined output signal when the individual worker identification information received by the left hand RF antenna and the individual worker identification information received by the right hand RF antenna agree with each other.

6. The two-hand switch device according to claim 1, wherein the pre-determined left hand safe position and the pre-determined right hand safe position are located in front of a machine and are laterally spaced apart from each other by a pre-determined distance.

7. The two-hand switch device according to claim 6, wherein the left hand RF antenna and the right hand RF antenna each have a directivity, and are oriented so that the directivities of the two antennas are directed in mutually facing away directions.

8. The two-hand switch device according to claim 6, wherein the left hand RF antenna and the right hand RF antenna each have a directivity, and are oriented so that the directivities of the two antennas are directed in mutually opposing directions, a screen being placed between the two antennas.

9. The two-hand switch device according to claim 4, wherein said device further comprises a configuration input means for configuring a right and left hand identification option, whereby the output signal generating means generates, only when the right and left hand identification option is configured, the pre-determined output signal when the left hand identification information is received by the left hand RF antenna and the right hand identification information is received by the right hand RF antenna.

10. The two-hand switch device according to claim 5, wherein said device further comprises a configuration input means for configuring an individual worker identification option, whereby the output signal generating means generates, only when the individual worker identification option is configured, the predetermined output signal when the individual worker identification information received by the left hand RF antenna and the individual worker identification information received by the right hand RF antenna agree with each other.