Safety device for the safe activation of connected actuators

• US 8,010,213 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Original Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Inventors: Moddemann, Jörg
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick; Michael D
• Application Number:
  US12/379,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 714/47, 714/48, 710/1, 710/100, 700/79
• US Class Current: 700/79
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40006 Architecture of a communication node current supply arrangements H04L12/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 Bus for use in automation systems

Abstract

A safety device is set forth having at least one safety control and having a plurality of outputs for the safe activation of connected actuators and having inputs for the reception of signals of connected sensors as well as having a serial communications device, in particular a bus which connects the safety control to the outputs and to the inputs, to receive and/or to transmit data packets. In this respect, in addition to the serial communication at least one bypass line is provided which connects the safety control or an input to at least one output to be able to transmit a deactivation signal independently of the serial communication to an actuator connected to the output.

Claims

1. A safety device, comprising:

at least one safety control;

a plurality of outputs for the safe activation of connected actuators;

a plurality of inputs for the reception of signals of connected sensors;

a serial communications device which connects the safety control to the outputs and to the inputs to receive and/or to transmit data packets; and

at least one bypass line parallel to and independent of the serial communication device, the bypass line being independent from a bus cycle and connecting the safety control or at least one of the plurality of inputs to at least one of the plurality of outputs and being configured to transmit a deactivation signal independently of the serial communication device to an actuator connected to at least one of the plurality of outputs.

2. A safety device in accordance with claim 1, wherein respective groups of inputs and/or of outputs are combined together in a module to form a modular safety switching device in the form of a module series;

and/or

wherein each module is arranged in a housing having a plug and a socket for plugging into one another.

3. A safety device in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the safety control is provided in a separate control module;

and

wherein the control module itself has inputs and/or outputs.

4. A safety device in accordance with claim 1,

wherein a first and a second bypass line are provided;

and

wherein the first bypass line connects the safety control to at least one output and the second bypass line connects at least one input to at least one output.

5. A safety device in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the plurality of outputs connect to the at least one bypass line;

and

wherein the plurality of outputs also connect to at least one actuator via the bypass line and are configured to determine whether to deactivate the connected actuator in response to the deactivation signal.

6. A safety device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inputs, the outputs, the safety control, the serial communications device and/or the bypass line are configured for a function test and/or failsafe with two channels.

7. A safety device in accordance with claim 1, wherein an external system control is provided and the safety control is made such that controls of the actuators from the system control only act on the actuators when the safety control consents.

8. A safety device in accordance with claim 1,

wherein the safety control is made to additionally transmit the deactivation signal over the serial communications device;

and/or

wherein the outputs are made such that a switching on of a connected actuator can only take place when the safety control consents.

9. A safety method for the safe deactivation of actuators, comprising the steps of:

connecting at least one safety control to a plurality of inputs and outputs;

connecting a serial communications device to the plurality of inputs and outputs, the serial device being configured to receive and/or transmit data packets; and

connecting at least one bypass line to at least one of the plurality of inputs and outputs, wherein;

the at least one bypass line is parallel to and independent of the serial communication device,

the at least one bypass line is independent from a bus cycle, and

the at least one bypass line is configured to transmit a deactivation signal independently of the serial communication device to at least one actuator connected to at least one of the plurality of outputs.

10. A safety method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the deactivation signal is transmitted to a first group of outputs over a first bypass line and to a second group of outputs over a second bypass line;

and/or

wherein the deactivation signal is generated by at least one safety control and/or by at least one input to which a sensor is connected.

11. A safety method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

deciding whether a respective output connected to the at least one bypass line should deactivate the connected actuator in response to a deactivation signal received over the at least one bypass line.

12. A safety method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

configuring the safety control to control the outputs, the inputs, the serial communications device and the at least one bypass line; and

/or

configuring the safety control to transmit the deactivation signal to the at least one bypass line over the serial communications device.

13. A safety method in accordance with claim 12, wherein activations of an external system control are transmitted to the outputs and these activations can only act on the actuators when the safety control consents;

and/or

wherein a switching on of an actuator connected to an output can only take place when the safety control consents.