EP3553756A1 - Alarm device and method for triggering a vibration alarm - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of plants in the basic industry, specifically alarm devices for such plants. The object of this invention is to create an alarm device and a method with which operating personnel of such plants are made aware of critical conditions in a simple and reliable manner. This object is achieved by an alarm device (1) for triggering a vibration alarm released. The alarm device consists of a first plate (5), which is suitable for placing objects, and at least one actuator (3) for causing the first plate (5) to vibrate. A first attachment (4) is used to place the first plate (5) at a predetermined distance above a floor (10). This object is also achieved by a method which activates an actuator (3) of the alarm device (1) in critical states of the plant in the basic industry.

Description

Field of engineering

The present invention is based on an alarm device for triggering a vibration alarm.

The present invention is further based on a method for operating an alarm device for a plant of the basic industry, wherein an evaluation device receives signals from sensors via a data line of a plant of the basic industries, wherein the evaluation evaluates the signals and checks whether they exceed a predefined critical value.

Equipment of the basic industry and the associated monitoring methods are known in many embodiments. The installations may, for example, be installations of the paper industry, the chemical industry or the metallurgical industry. In particular, in the metallurgical industry as plants such as a blast furnace, a sintering plant, a converter, a ladle furnace, a continuous casting, a rolling mill or a filter system in question.

State of the art

The operation and monitoring of plants of the basic industry takes place today to a large extent in control stations and control rooms. In these control or control booths all information of the basic industry or part of the plant of the basic industry is brought together and issued visually to the operating personnel. The output is usually on screens, control panels, scoreboards and the like. In particular, it is possible that several screens are arranged side by side at a certain location to the Provide operators with a comprehensive overview. In the control and steering booths as responsible staff often only a few people are present, sometimes even a single person.

In the prior art, the issuance of alarm messages to the operator usually visually via a screen. In principle, this procedure is unproblematic. However, it is necessary for the operator to keep the screen permanently in view. If this is not the case, it can happen that in a visual display alarm messages are delayed or even overlooked.

In principle, it is possible to provide acoustic signals in addition to the visual output of the alarm messages via the screen, for example an alarm bell or an alarm horn. However, this would lead to an even further increase in the already very high noise level. Furthermore, due to the large number of possible alarms, this would result in a blunting of the operator.

Alternatively, it is possible for the operator to be informed by telephone about the presence of an alarm condition by another person. In this case, however, an active action by another person is required.

In completely different fields - for example in mobile telephones - it is known to trigger a vibration signal as an alternative or in addition to a visual and / or acoustic signal, for example in the case of an incoming call. In other objects such as computer games vibration signals are known.

From the DE 10339647A1 It is known to alert a driver by vibrations via the steering wheel or the driver's seat.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide opportunities by means of which the operating personnel - in a simple and reliable way - can be made aware of critical conditions of a plant of the basic industry.

The object has been achieved by an alarm device, comprising a first plate, which is suitable for storing objects and at least one actuator for displacement of the first plate in vibration and at least a first attachment for placing the first plate at a predetermined distance above a floor. The actuator should, at least temporarily, during an active state of the actuator, make contact with the first plate and be capable of causing the first plate to vibrate. Furthermore, the alarm device has a first attachment, which is suitable to place the first plate at a predetermined distance above a floor.
The actuator is advantageously arranged on the first attachment or the first plate such that the actuator can set the first plate in vibration. Preferably, the actuator is arranged on an underside of the first plate and must be designed so that when activated triggers vibrations that are clearly felt by a human. The actuator preferably has a movable mass. The agitated mass is operated in a frequency range of 2 to 2000 Hz, preferably 2 to 100 Hz, and the weight of the agitated mass is 20 to 2000 grams, preferably 20-500 grams. The weight of the moving mass depends on the material, the size and construction of the first plate. The first attachment is either at least one table base of a table top, a Wall console or a ceiling console that secures the table top at the appropriate height above the floor. The height - on which the first plate is to be placed - depends on whether the table top is intended for standing or sitting work.
In the embodiment that the first plate is a bottom element, a spacer is provided as an attachment. Such a spacer may for example be designed as a damper. The first plate is preferably a tabletop on which the keyboard, screen, books or similar items can be placed. Another possibility is that the first panel is a floor element on which chairs or similar objects can be placed.

The advantage of the present alarm device results from the fact that the vibration of the first plate arouses special attention in the operator. The vibration is immediately noticeable even in a noisy environment or when the operator is out of sight of the displays.
Since the work of the operator requires a great deal of attention and is correspondingly exhausting, it can happen again and again that the operator, for example, gets up from the chair or leans back. However, the operator recognizes the alarm by the vibration of the first plate. The objects on the first plate - such as the keyboard, key, or mouse - are set in motion by the vibration of the first plate. If the first panel is a floor element, then the operator can feel the vibration, whether standing or sitting. In the known in the prior art embodiments that the driver's seat or the steering wheel vibrates, the operator gets these vibrations only when sitting on the seat or touches the steering wheel.

The preferred embodiment of the first panel is a tabletop, which may be part of a desk, placed on the screen, keyboard or similar devices can be. Another embodiment of the first panel is that it is a part of the floor - on which stands, for example, a desk chair. The floor element can stand on a finished floor of a building. Another possibility is that the floor has a recess into which the plate can be inserted.

A preferred embodiment provides that a vibration damper, between the first plate and the at least first attachment, is arranged. This vibration damper ensures that the smallest possible portion of the vibrations is transmitted to the at least first attachment. Furthermore, it is achieved by the damper that as free as possible oscillation of the first plate is allowed. A damper makes the vibration of the first plate even more noticeable to the operator. By means of a damper, the actuator can also be made smaller, since it does not have to additionally apply the energy that is transferred to the first attachments.

An advantageous embodiment provides that the first attachment is a table base, a spacer, a wall bracket or a ceiling console.
The table base and wall bracket are particularly well placed to place the first panel so that the operator can either sit or stand. It is also conceivable that the first plate is placed over a ceiling console. The overhead console is attached to a ceiling of a room, placing the first panel at a desired distance above the floor. The spacer serves primarily to allow the embodiment in which the first plate is a floor element to be placed at a certain distance from the floor. If the plate were lying flat, the generation of the vibration would be very energy intensive. Such a spacer may for example be a damper, which preferably has corresponding attachments to the damper on To palate the floor. This damper allows the freeest possible vibration of the first plate.

A further preferred embodiment provides that the actuator is connected to an evaluation device which is suitable for processing and evaluating signals of an industrial plant and to activate the actuator at critical signal values. The evaluation device receives signals from the industrial plant and can evaluate them accordingly. At critical values, this evaluation device activates the actuator, causing the first plate to vibrate.

A particularly preferred embodiment variant is that the alarm device has a second plate. This second plate, which is suitable for storing objects, is connected to at least one second attachment, wherein the second attachment is adapted to place the second plate above the floor. This second plate is decoupled from the first plate. This embodiment is particularly suitable for the fact that the first plate comprises only the part on which the operator of the industrial plant is supported, for example the part on which the keyboard lies. In the execution of the first plate as a floor element, it makes sense only to put that part in vibration on which the operator stands or on which a chair is placed. The second plate is then that part on which, for example, the screen is standing - in the execution of a vibrating table top. For example, in the embodiment with a vibrating bottom plate, the second plate may be a tabletop on which the screen is placed. The second attachment is then, for example, the table base is attached to the table top. The second plate should not be vibrated. Under decoupled in this context is understood that the first plate and the second plate are not directly - without a damping element - are connected. The two plates are advantageously mounted at the same height, but have a distance from each other on. For safety reasons, this distance can be protected by a cover or a damping element to avoid the risk of injury. This embodiment has the advantage that only that part is vibrated, in which the operator resides. Thus, several operators may also be arranged a plurality of first plates in order to selectively alert only selected operators can.

Another embodiment provides that between the first plate and the second plate a protective device is mounted. This protective device must be capable of preventing introduction of body parts into a gap between the first plate and the second plate. Another feature is that no foreign objects can enter the gap and get stuck in it, which will affect the function of the alarm device. This protection device may be a cover to protect the gap between the first plate and the second plate. This is advantageous because otherwise there is a risk of injury when, for example, the fingers, feet or other body parts are in the gap and the actuator is activated. The protective device may also be a damper element which is mounted in the gap.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the actuator has an eccentric flywheel and / or an electromagnetic flywheel and / or a structure-borne sound transducer. These actuators are particularly well suited for transmitting vibrations to the first plate.

An advantageous embodiment of the alarm device is that the vibration damper has a stiffness between 10 N / mm and 2000 N / mm.

An advantageous embodiment provides that the first plate has at least two actuators. This has the advantage that the alarm is noticeable over a larger area.

A particularly advantageous embodiment provides that an oscillating mass of the actuator moves between two end positions and the oscillating mass touches the first plate, at least in one of the two end positions.
This embodiment of the actuator, has the particular advantage that it is particularly well vibrated by contact of the oscillating mass with the first plate. Furthermore, by touching the first plate with the oscillating mass, a good perceptible noise is additionally generated.

The object is further solved by the use of the alarm device in a plant of the basic industry, in particular a blast furnace, a sintering plant, a converter, a ladle furnace, a continuous casting plant, a rolling mill or a filter plant. In such a system, the alarm device is particularly well suited to transmit critical conditions to an operator of such a system.

The object is achieved with the method mentioned above in that when exceeding a predefined critical value, the alarm device is activated according to one of claims 1 to 11.
The human sense of movement is very pronounced and active at all times. The operator is alerted by a alarm device to trigger a vibrating alarm, so even then to a special alarm state, if it is otherwise distracted, for example, because it speaks to another person - by phone or directly. Also, such vibration may be felt through clothing, protective gloves, safety shoes, and the like. The inventive method for operating an alarm device further causes the operator is alarmed particularly reliable.

An advantageous embodiment is that the plant of the basic industry is a blast furnace, a sintering plant, a converter, a ladle furnace, a continuous casting plant, a rolling mill or a filter plant.
In such systems, there are a particularly large number of sensors monitoring the systems and it is often possible for critical states to occur, which is why it is particularly important to ensure reliable alarming in order to avoid danger to people, equipment and the environment.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Alarmvorrichtung.
• Fig. 2 eine weitere Ausführungsvariante einer erfindungsgemäßen Alarmvorrichtung.
• Fig. 3 eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Alarmvorrichtung mit einer ersten Platte und einer zweiten Platte.
• Fig. 4 eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Alarmvorrichtung mit einem Bodenelement.
• Fig. 5 eine weitere schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Alarmvorrichtung mit einem Bodenelement.
• Fig. 6 eine schematische Darstellung der erfindungsgemäßen Alarmvorrichtung mit einer Wandkonsole.
• Fig. 7 zeigt eine schematische Darstellung eines Aktuators mit einer Schwingmasse.
• Fig. 8 zeigt eine weitere vorteilhafte schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Alarmvorrichtung.

Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of non-limiting embodiments, reference being made to the following figures, which show:

• Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an alarm device according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 a further embodiment of an alarm device according to the invention.
• Fig. 3 a schematic representation of an alarm device according to the invention with a first plate and a second plate.
• Fig. 4 a schematic representation of an alarm device according to the invention with a bottom element.
• Fig. 5 a further schematic representation of an alarm device according to the invention with a bottom element.
• Fig. 6 a schematic representation of the alarm device according to the invention with a wall bracket.
• Fig. 7 shows a schematic representation of an actuator with a vibration mass.
• Fig. 8 shows a further advantageous schematic representation of an alarm device according to the invention.

Description of the embodiments

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an alarm device according to the invention 1. The first plate 5 is attached to a first attachment part 4. The first attachment 4, in Fig. 1 is a table base, which is placed on the floor 10. On the first plate 5, an actuator 3 - which can put the first plate 5 in vibration - attached.

Fig. 2 shows a further embodiment of an alarm device according to the invention 1. The in Fig. 2 shown alarm device, in addition to those already in Fig. 1 described features on a vibration damper 2. The vibration damper 2 is mounted between the first plate 5 and the first attachment 4. This vibration damper 2 ensures that as far as possible no vibrations are transmitted to the first attachment 4 and the floor 10.

In Fig. 3 a schematic representation of an alarm device 1 according to the invention with a first plate 5, a vibration damper 2, an actuator 3 and a first attachment 4 is shown. Furthermore, a second attachment 8 and a second plate 7 are arranged. The second attachment 8 is placed on the floor 10. The second plate 7 is not directly connected to the first plate 5. In the Fig. 3 is disposed between the first plate 5 and the second plate 7, a protective device 12. This protective device 12 may be a rubber element which fills a gap between the first plate 5 and the second plate 7. Another conceivable embodiment is a cover which prevents the inadvertent introduction of body parts - such as fingers - in the gap. The protective device 12 serves to ensure that there is no risk of injury to the operator when the actuator 3 is activated. The second plate 7 should experience no vibration and is suitable for parking, for example, a screen 15, folders and other objects.

In Fig. 4 an embodiment variant is shown with a bottom element. The first plate 5 is designed as a bottom element. At this first plate 5, the actuator 3 is mounted and the first plate 5 is attached to first attachments 4, which are placed on the floor 10. The first attachment 4 may also be designed so that it has vibration damping properties and the vibration damper is thus integrated in the first attachment 4. The alarm device 1 is placed in front of a table 13. On the alarm device 1, a chair 14 can be placed or the operator stands on the first plate 5.

In Fig. 5 a further embodiment of an alarm device 1 is shown with a bottom element. The first plate 5 is disposed in a recess 16 of the floor. On the first plate 5, two actuators 3 are arranged. The first plate 5 has a vibration damper 2. On the vibration damper 2, the first attachment 4 is fixed, which is placed in the recess 16. The first attachment 4 may also be a vibration damper.

In Fig. 6 is a variant of the first attachment 4 to see as a wall bracket. Of course, it is also conceivable that the first attachment 4 is designed as a ceiling console. Here, the ceiling console is not attached to the wall, but to the ceiling of a room. The first attachment 4 is connected to the wall 17. The first plate 5 is mounted by means of the first attachment 4 at a certain height above the floor 10. With the first attachment 4, the first plate 5 is connected, which has an actuator 3 at the bottom. This actuator 3 has an electrical connection 21, which receives signals from an evaluation unit 20. The evaluation unit 20 receives signals from a plant of the basic industry via a data line 22. This evaluation unit 20 - including electrical connection 21 and data line 22 - is of course also for the embodiments of the FIG. 1-5 and 7-8 required, but it was not shown in the other figures. The electrical connection 21 may be a wired connection as well as a wireless connection. The evaluation unit 20 can receive and send the data via a wired connection or a radio connection. The evaluation unit can activate the actuator either via a wired connection or a radio connection.

In Fig. 7 an embodiment of an actuator 3 is shown. An oscillating mass 25 moves from a first end position 26 into a second end position 27. In the first end position 26, the oscillating mass 25 makes contact with the first plate 5. This contact, on the one hand, produces a clearly perceptible noise and, on the other hand, the first plate 5 becomes particularly good vibrated.

Fig. 8 shows a schematic representation of an alarm device according to the invention 1. This embodiment differs from that Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 (with vibration damper 2) in that the actuator is arranged on the first attachment 4 and at least temporarily, while the actuator is in operation, having contact with the first plate 5.

While the invention has been further illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

alarm device

2

vibration

3

actuator

4

First attachment

5

First plate

7

Second plate

8th

Second attachment

10

floor

12

guard

13

table

14

chair

15

screen

16

deepening

17

wall

20

evaluation

21

Electrical connection

22

data line

25

oscillating weight

26

first end position

27

second end position

Claims (14)

Alarm device (1) for triggering a vibrating alarm, comprising a first plate (5) which is suitable for depositing objects, at least one actuator (3) for displacement of the first plate (5) in vibration, - At least a first attachment (4) for placing the first plate at a predetermined distance above a floor (10). Alarm device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first plate (5) is a table top or a bottom element. Alarm device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a vibration damper (2), between the first plate (5) and the first attachment (4), is arranged. Alarm device according to claim 1-3, characterized in that the first attachment (4) is a table base, a spacer, a wall bracket or a ceiling console. Alarm device according to claim 1 - 4, characterized in that the actuator (3) is connected to an evaluation device (20) which receives signals via a data line (22) of an industrial plant, processes and evaluates, and the actuator (3) at critical signal values activated. Alarm device according to claim 1-5, characterized in that the alarm device (1) - Has at least one second plate (7) which is suitable for parking objects, which is connected to at least one second attachment (8), - wherein the second attachment (8) for placing the second plate (7) at a predetermined distance above the floor (10), - Wherein this second plate (8) from the first plate (5) is decoupled. Alarm device according to claim 6, characterized in that between the first plate (5) and the second plate (7) a protective device (12) is mounted. Alarm device according to claim 1-7, characterized in that the actuator (3) has an eccentric flywheel and / or an electromagnetic flywheel and / or a structure-borne sound transducer. Alarm device according to claim 2-8, characterized in that the vibration damper (2) has a rigidity between 10 N / mm and 2000 N / mm. Alarm device according to claim 1-9, characterized in that the first plate (5) has at least two actuators (3). Alarm device according to claim 1-10, characterized in that the actuator comprises an oscillating mass, wherein the oscillating mass of the actuator (3) moves between two end positions, wherein the actuator is mounted on the first plate (5) such that the oscillating mass, at least in one of the two end positions, the first plate (5) touched. Use of the alarm device according to claim 1-11 in a plant of the basic industry, in particular a blast furnace, a sintering plant, a converter, a ladle furnace, a continuous casting plant, a rolling mill or a filter plant. Method for operating an alarm device for a plant of the basic industry, - wherein an evaluation device (20) receives signals from sensors via a data line (21) of a plant of the basic industry, wherein the evaluation device (20) evaluates the signals and checks whether these exceed a predefined critical value, characterized in that when exceeding a predefined critical value, an actuator (3) of the alarm device (1) is activated according to claim 1 to 11. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the plant of the primary industry is a blast furnace, a sintering plant, a converter, a ladle furnace, a continuous casting plant, a rolling mill or a filter plant.

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