Manually fed machine for working on materials, objects and the like, and protective means for such a machine

• US 8,171,831 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung E.V., Fachhochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung E.V., Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
• Inventors: Jung, Norbert, Reinert, Dietmar, Schwaneberg, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/161,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20090301275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 83/58, 83/61, 83/63, 83D/IG.1, 356 39- 41, 356/301, 356445-446, 356317-318, 356417-418
• US Class Current: 83/58
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/0082 by determining whether the operator is in a dangerous position B23Q17/2438 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/0089 actuating operator protecting means, e.g. closing a cover element, producing an alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/2438 of an operator or a part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/01 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/081 With randomly actuated stopping means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/091 Responsive to work sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/141 With means to monitor and control operation [e.g., self-regulating means]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/145 Including means to monitor product

Abstract

A manually fed working machine including a working tool, a feeding area in front of the tool, a detector covering at least a section of the feeding area for a contactless detection of human skin, the detector comprising at least one radiation unit and at least one receiver unit. The at least one radiation unit emitting radiation towards said section of the feeding area, said radiation being emitted with at least two different wavelengths in the wavelength range between 900 nm and 1500 nm, whereas the at least one receiver unit receives the radiation reflected from the section of the feeding area, and a signal evaluation unit connected with the detector calculating the quotients or differences of the intensities of the reflected radiations received by the receiver unit and the at least two different wavelengths emitted from the radiation unit.

Claims

1. A working machine for manually fed workpieces, comprising:

a working tool,

a feeding area in front of the tool, within which a person'"'"'s hand is present when feeding workpieces to be worked on to the tool,

a detector covering at least a section of the feeding area for a contactless detection of human skin,

the detector comprising at least one radiation unit and at least one receiver unit,

the at least one radiation unit (32,34) emitting radiation towards said section of the feeding area, said radiation being emitted with at least two different wavelengths in the wavelength range between 900 nm and 1500 nm, whereas the at least one receiver unit receives the radiation reflected from the section of the feeding area, and

a signal evaluation unit connected with the detector for calculating the quotients or differences of the intensities of the reflected radiations received by the receiver unit and the at least two different wavelengths emitted from the radiation unit,

wherein based on the calculating, the signal evaluation unit determines whether the detector detects human skin, and

wherein upon the detection of human skin, a protective means is configured to be activated for protection against potential injuries caused by the tool, or the signal evaluation unit determines whether the detector detects workpieces to be worked on, wherein the tool can be activated only if the detector detects workpieces to be worked on.

2. The working machine of claim 1, wherein the wavelengths of the radiation unit are at the wavelengths of 950 nm and 1450 nm, 950 nm and 1050 nm, 950 nm and 1200 nm 1050 nm and 1200 nm, 1050 nm and 1300 nm, 1050 nm and 1450 nm or 1200 nm and 1450 nm.

3. The working machine of claim 1, wherein a plurality of respective sets of radiation and receiver units are arranged side by Side, the radiation units of two adjacent sets being arranged such that, after reflection from the section of the feeding area, the respective radiation at the same wavelength can be detected by the receiver unit of the respective adjacent set.

4. The working machine of claim 1, wherein ambient light received by the receiver unit can be compensated in the signal evaluation unit.

5. The working machine of claim 1, wherein the protective means comprises a cover element movable in between the section of the feeding area covered by the detector and the tool, a displacement unit for removing the tool from the feeding area, a braking unit for braking the tool and/or an alarm generation unit for generating an alarm signal.

6. The working machine of claim 5, wherein the alarm signal is an optical or acoustic alarm signal.

7. The working machine of claim 1, wherein the radiation unit emits and/or the receiver unit receives at a spectral bandwidth of up to 200 nm.

8. The working machine of claim 7, wherein the radiation unit emits and/or the receiver unit receives at the spectral bandwidth below 50 nm.

9. The working machine of clam 1, wherein the at least one radiation unit comprises at least two transmitter diodes and the at least one receiver unit comprises at least one receiver diode.

10. A protective means for protecting or warning people against access to danger zones comprising:

a detector for a contactless detection of human skin within the area covered by the detector,

the detector comprising at least one radiation unit and at least one receiver unit

the at least one radiation unit (32,34) emitting radiation towards said area covered by the detector said radiation being emitted at at least two different wavelengths in the wavelength range between 900 nm and 1500 nm, whereas the at least one receiver unit receives the radiation reflected from the area covered by the detector, and

a signal evaluation unit connected with the detector for calculating the quotients or differences of the intensities of the reflected radiations received by the receiver unit at the at least two different wavelengths from the radiation unit,

wherein based on the calculation, the signal evaluation unit is adapted to determine whether the detector detects human skin.