JP2021122887A - Safety sensor and adjusting method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To enable one person to easily perform work for adjusting an installation position and an installation angle of a safety sensor.SOLUTION: A safety sensor 12 that detects a person is equipped with a control substrate 21 mounted with a control part 23 that controls detection operation of a sensor part 22. The control substrate 21 is mounted with: a communication part 25 that outputs information about a detection state of the safety sensor 12 to an information processing device 24 and displays the information on a display screen 24a of the information processing device 24 when the information processing device 24 that is used in adjusting the safety sensor 12 is connected thereto so that the device and the part can communicate with each other; and a display part 26 whose display operation is controlled by the control part 23. The control part 23 makes the display part 26 display the detection state of the safety sensor 12 when adjusting the safety sensor 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

This specification discloses a technique relating to a safety sensor for detecting a person and a method for adjusting the safety sensor.

For example, as described in Patent Document 1 (International Publication WO2018 / 131237), a safety sensor is attached to the robot arm in order to ensure the safety of the worker in the work space where the human and the robot cooperate. As a result, a plurality of proximity sensors (ultrasonic sensor, optical sensor, capacitance sensor, radio wave sensor, etc.) are installed, and the approach of the operator to the robot arm is detected by the plurality of proximity sensors.

Further, as described in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-150859), when adjusting the setting of the safety sensor, a worker can connect the setting support device such as a personal computer to the safety sensor. Operate the setting support device to rewrite the setting data of the safety sensor, import the detection status information of the safety sensor into the setting support device, and display the detection status information of the safety sensor on the display screen of the setting support device. , There is one that allows the operator to check the detection status of the safety sensor by looking at the display screen of the setting support device.

International Publication WO2018 / 131237 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-150859

By the way, when the setting support device such as a personal computer is connected to the safety sensor installed on the robot arm or the like to adjust the installation position and the installation angle of the safety sensor, the worker who operates the setting support device and the safety Two people work together with a worker who is a model detected by a sensor. This is because the safety sensor is detected on the display screen of the setting support device in order to adjust the installation position and angle of the safety sensor while checking the detection status of the safety sensor on the display screen of the setting support device. This is because, in addition to the worker who confirms the state, a worker who enters the detection area of the safety sensor according to the instruction of the worker and adjusts the installation position and the installation angle of the safety sensor while being detected is required.

Even in this case, if a portable information terminal such as a portable tablet PC or smartphone is used as the setting support device, a worker who enters the detection area of the safety sensor carries the mobile information terminal and detects the safety sensor by himself. It is possible to perform adjustment work while checking, but when adjusting multiple safety sensors, the operator accurately checks the detection status of multiple safety sensors with each safety sensor on the display screen of the mobile information terminal. It is not easy for one person to adjust the installation position and installation angle of each of the plurality of safety sensors while checking in correspondence with the above, and work mistakes due to misreading of the display are likely to occur.

In order to solve the above problems, in a safety sensor for detecting a person, the safety sensor is provided with a control board on which a control unit for controlling a detection operation is mounted, and the control board is provided with an adjustment of the safety sensor. To output information on the detection status of the safety sensor to the information processing device and display it on the display screen of the information processing device when the information processing devices used at times are connected and become in a state where they can communicate with each other. A communication unit and a display unit whose display operation is controlled by the control unit are mounted, and the control unit causes the display unit to display the detection state of the safety sensor when the safety sensor is adjusted. be.

In this configuration, the control board of the safety sensor is equipped with a display unit that displays the detection status of the safety sensor when the safety sensor is adjusted, so that the operator adjusts the installation position and angle of the safety sensor. In this case, the operator can easily perform the work of adjusting the installation position and the installation angle of the safety sensor while checking the detection state of the safety sensor by looking at the display unit of the safety sensor. Further, even when adjusting a plurality of safety sensors, the operator can individually check the detection status of each safety sensor by looking at the display unit of each safety sensor, so that the operator can check the detection status of the plurality of safety sensors for each safety. Each sensor can be clearly distinguished and easily confirmed, and even one person can easily perform the work of adjusting a plurality of safety sensors.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a state when the adjustment work of the safety sensor of one embodiment is performed. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the safety sensor. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the safety sensor. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the status display displayed on the display unit of the safety sensor in the status display mode. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a received power display displayed on the display unit of the safety sensor in the received power display mode (detection state display mode). FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the display mode switching control program.

Hereinafter, an embodiment disclosed in the present specification will be described.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 are installed in order to ensure the safety of the worker in the work space where the human and the robot 11 collaborate. .. Each of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 is configured by using any one of sensors capable of detecting a person, for example, a radio wave sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor, a capacitance sensor and the like.

For example, one safety sensor 12 is installed on the arm 11a of the robot 11, and the other safety sensors 13 and 14 are installed on the conveyor 16 that conveys the work 15 to the working position of the robot 11. The installation positions and angles of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 are adjusted so that the detection areas 12a, 13a and 14a of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 share the entire dangerous area of the work space. It is adjusted so that a human body entering a dangerous area can be reliably detected by any of a plurality of safety sensors 12, 13, and 14.

Next, the configuration of the safety sensor 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, but the other safety sensors 13 and 14 also have the same configuration.

A control board 21 is provided in the case of the safety sensor 12, and the control board 21 includes a sensor unit 22 for detecting a person, a control unit 23 for controlling the detection operation of the sensor unit 22, and a sensor. A communication unit 25 that outputs information on the detection status of the unit 22 to an information processing device 24 described later, a display unit 26 that can switch between a status display and a reception power display (detection status display) described later, and FIG. It is equipped with a storage unit 27 that stores various data such as a display mode switching control program and setting data.

For example, when the safety sensor 12 is composed of a radio wave sensor, the sensor unit 22 is reflected by a radio wave transmitting unit that transmits radio waves toward the detection area 12a and a detection target (person or object) that has entered the detection area 12a. It is composed of a radio wave receiving unit that receives the received radio waves, and the detection state is determined by the strength of the receiving power of the radio wave receiving unit.

The display unit 26 is configured to be switchable between a status display mode for displaying the status information of the safety sensor 12 and a reception power display mode (detection status display mode) for displaying the reception power (detection status) of the safety sensor 12. There is. In this embodiment, the display unit 26 is configured by arranging a plurality of light emitting elements 28a and 28b such as LEDs in a row. The plurality of light emitting elements 28a and 28b may all have the same light emitting color, or some of them may have different light emitting colors. Note that FIGS. 4 and 5 show a configuration example in which the emission color of the leftmost light emitting element 28a is different from the emission color of the other light emitting element 28b.

In the status display mode, as shown in FIG. 4, the number or position of the light emitting elements 28a and 28b to be lit or blinking among the plurality of light emitting elements 28a and 28b is switched according to the type of status information of the safety sensor 12. FIG. 4 shows a display example of three types of status information, “standby”, “normal measurement”, and “abnormality”, but communication with the information processing device 24 described later is also established. If this is the case, a display such as "writing in the storage unit" may be performed, or status information other than the above may be displayed. In short, the status information recognized by the control unit 23 may be displayed. For example, when the display unit 26 is composed of eight light emitting elements 28a and 28b, 256 types of status information can be displayed.

On the other hand, in the reception power display mode, as shown in FIG. 5, the number of light emitting elements 28a, 28b to be lit or blinked among the plurality of light emitting elements 28a, 28b according to the reception power (detection level) of the safety sensor 12 or Switch the position. FIG. 5 shows three types of display examples in which the received power is “25”, “50”, and “100” when the maximum receiving power is “100”, but two or four or more types are shown. The reception power of may be displayed. In the display example of FIG. 5, the intensity of the reception power is displayed like a level meter, and when the minimum reception power is "25", the two light emitting elements 28b on the right end side are lit or blinked, and the maximum reception power " When "100", all (8) light emitting elements 28a and 28b are lit or blinked, and when the intermediate reception power is "50", half (4) of the light emitting elements 28b are lit or blinked.

The communication unit 25 of each of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 is configured by an interface such as Ethernet (registered trademark), and an information processing device 24 such as a personal computer can be connected by a cable 29 or the like. The installation position and installation angle of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 installed on the arm 11a of the robot 11 and the conveyor 16 and the like can be adjusted, and the setting data stored in the storage unit 27 of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 can be adjusted. When the information processing device 24 is connected to the communication unit 25 of each of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 with the cable 31, the information processing device 24 is in a state of being able to communicate with each other (link activity signal is sent). (When detected), it is determined that the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 are being adjusted, and the received power information of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 is output from the communication unit 25 to the information processing device 24. Information on the received power of each of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 is displayed on the display 24a of the information processing device 24. During normal operation (normal use) of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14, the information processing device 24 is not connected to the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14.

The control unit 23 of each of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 monitors the presence or absence of the connection of the information processing device 24 by executing the display mode switching control program of FIG. 6 described later, and the information processing device 24 is connected. When not, it is determined that it is in normal operation (normal use), and the display mode of the display unit 26 is maintained in the status display mode for displaying the status information of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14, and the information processing device 24 is used. When is connected, it is determined that the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 are being adjusted, and the display mode of the display unit 26 is changed to the reception power display mode for displaying the reception power of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14. Switch.

The control unit 23 of each of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 repeatedly executes the display mode switching control program of FIG. 6 at a predetermined cycle while the power is turned on. When this program is started, first, in step 101, it is determined whether or not the information processing device 24 is connected to the communication unit 25 of each of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 by the cable 31 based on whether or not the link activity signal is detected. do. If the link activity signal is detected, it is determined that the information processing device 24 is connected, the process proceeds to step 102, it is determined that the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 are being adjusted, and the display mode of the display unit 26 is set. Maintain or switch to the received power display mode that displays the received power of each of the safety sensors 12, 13, and 14.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 101 that the link activity signal is not detected and the information processing apparatus 24 is not connected, the process proceeds to step 103, and it is determined that it is in normal operation (normal use). , The display mode of the display unit 26 is maintained or switched to the status display mode for displaying the status information of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14.

According to the present embodiment described above, the operator can adjust the installation positions and angles of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 installed on the arm 11a of the robot 11, the conveyor 16 and the like, and the information processing device 24. When the operation of rewriting the setting data of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 is performed by operating the keyboard, mouse or the like, the operator communicates the information processing device 24 with the cable 31 of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14. Connect to unit 25. As a result, when the control unit 23 of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 detects the link activity signal, it determines that the information processing device 24 is connected and displays the display unit 26 of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14. The mode is automatically switched to the reception power display mode that displays the reception power of each of the safety sensors 12, 13, and 14.

After that, when the worker adjusts the installation position and the installation angle of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14, the worker himself becomes the detection target of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 for each safety. When working close to the sensors 12, 13 and 14, the display unit 26 of each safety sensor 12, 13 and 14 depends on the positional relationship between the operator and the detection areas 12a, 13a and 14a of each safety sensor 12, 13 and 14. The received power displayed in changes. Therefore, the operator adjusts the installation position and the installation angle of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 while observing and confirming the received power displayed on the display unit 26 of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14. It can be done easily by one person.

Further, even when adjusting the installation positions and installation angles of the plurality of safety sensors 12, 13 and 14, the operator looks at the display unit 26 of each safety sensor 12, 13 and 14 and looks at the display unit 26 of each safety sensor 12, 13 and 14. Since the received power can be checked individually, the operator can easily distinguish the received power of the plurality of safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 for each safety sensor 12, 13 and 14 and easily check the plurality of safety sensors 12, 13 and 14. Even one person can easily adjust the installation position and installation angle of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14.

The place where the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 are installed is not limited to the arm 11a and the conveyor 16 of the robot 11, and the safety of the worker is ensured in the work space where the robot, the production machine and the like collaborate with each other. The present invention can be applied and implemented when installing safety sensors in various areas where it is necessary to do so.

Further, the connection between the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 and the information processing device 24 is not limited to the wired communication, and may be wireless communication.

Further, the display method of the display unit 26 of each of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 may be changed, and for example, a digital display or the like may be used. Further, a display unit for displaying the status information of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 and a display unit for displaying the received power (detection state) may be provided separately.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and for example, the configurations of the safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 are not changed, and the detection areas 12a, 13a and 14a of the plurality of safety sensors 12, 13 and 14 do not overlap. It goes without saying that various changes can be made within a range that does not deviate from the gist, such as the installation in such a manner or the configuration in which only one safety sensor is installed.

11 ... Robot, 11a ... Arm, 12, 13, 14 ... Safety sensor, 12a, 13a, 14a ... Detection area, 16 ... Conveyor, 21 ... Control board, 22 ... Sensor unit, 23 ... Control unit, 24 ... Information processing device , 25 ... communication unit, 26 ... display unit, 27 ... storage unit, 28a, 28b ... light emitting element, 29 ... cable

Claims (5)

In a safety sensor that detects people
The safety sensor is provided with a control board on which a control unit for controlling the detection operation is mounted.
When an information processing device used for adjusting the safety sensor is connected to the control board and becomes communicable with each other, information on the detection state of the safety sensor is output to the information processing device. A communication unit for displaying on the display screen of the information processing device and a display unit whose display operation is controlled by the control unit are mounted.
The control unit is a safety sensor that displays the detection state of the safety sensor on the display unit when the safety sensor is adjusted. The control unit monitors the presence or absence of the connection of the information processing device, determines that the safety sensor is being adjusted when the information processing device is connected, and displays the detection state of the safety sensor on the display unit. The safety sensor according to claim 1, which is displayed. The display unit is configured to be able to switch between a status display mode for displaying the status information of the safety sensor and a detection status display mode for displaying the detection status of the safety sensor.
The control unit monitors the presence / absence of connection of the information processing device, maintains the display mode of the display unit in the status display mode when the information processing device is not connected, and connects the information processing device. The safety sensor according to claim 2, wherein the display mode of the display unit is switched to the detection state display mode when the information processing is performed. The display unit is configured by arranging a plurality of light emitting elements.
In the status display mode, the number or position of the light emitting element to be lit or blinking among the plurality of light emitting elements is switched according to the type of status information of the safety sensor.
The safety sensor according to claim 3, wherein in the detection state display mode, the number or position of the light emitting elements to be lit or blinking among the plurality of light emitting elements is switched according to the detection level of the safety sensor. In the method for adjusting the safety sensor for adjusting the installation position and / or the installation angle of the safety sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
When adjusting the safety sensor, the operator himself becomes the detection target of the safety sensor, and the operator visually confirms the detection state of the safety sensor displayed on the display unit while visually checking the installation position of the safety sensor and the installation position of the safety sensor. / Or a method of adjusting the safety sensor that performs the work of adjusting the installation angle.

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