Patents Assigned to Pilz GmbH & Co. KG
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Patent number: 10666024Abstract: A housing for an electrical device comprises a housing bottom, a fastening element, and an unlocking element and is closeable by a housing cover. The housing bottom includes an elastically deformable connecting section to connect the housing to a machine, a technical system, or a building wall. The fastening element is disposed on an outer face of the connecting section and is connectable in a form-fitting and/or friction-fitting manner to a corresponding retaining element of the machine, the technical system, or the building wall. The unlocking element is disposed on an inner face of the connecting section and is operatively connected to the fastening element. The unlocking element is user actuatable only from an inside of the housing when the housing is open in order to release the form-fitting and/or friction-fitting connection of the fastening element to the retaining element of the machine, the technical system, or the building wall.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2019Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Jörg Seid, Tobias Hampe
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Patent number: 10663360Abstract: Multilayer tactile sensor with a first layer that comprises a first electrode, a second layer that comprises a second electrode and an intermediate layer of pressure-sensitive material that is disposed between the first and second layers and that spaces apart the first electrode from the second electrode. The sensor further comprises a fastening means for fixing the first and second electrodes relative to each other. At least the first electrode is made of electrically conductive yarn and extends along a defined longitudinal direction. The fastening means comprises at least a first seam that extends in the longitudinal direction and that comprises at least one thread that is fed repeatedly multiple times through the pressure-sensitive material in order to fix the first electrode in a defined position.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2018Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Onedin Ibrocevic, Matthias Schweiker, Bernd Neuschwander, Matthias Kuczera
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Patent number: 10558189Abstract: A safety control system for switching on and safely switching off at least one actuator, including at least one input module for evaluating an input signal of a safety transmitter and for generating an output signal, and at least one output module for the safe actuation of the at least one actuator as a function of the output signal of the input module. The input signal has different signal parameters as a function of the type of safety transmitter. Furthermore, the safety control system includes a setting unit having a memory in which the signal parameters for the input module are stored, and the input module evaluates the input signal as a function of the signal parameters.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2016Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Thilo Hutt, Dietmar Seizinger, Marco Kluge, Stephan Lehmann
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Patent number: 10544898Abstract: A machine has a first machine part and a second machine part. The first machine part carries out a working movement towards the second machine part in order to machine a workpiece. The first machine part has a leading edge, which defines a movement plane in the course of the working movement. For safeguarding the machine, a plurality of images including spatially resolved representations of the edge, at least a part of the workpiece, and a protective region defined between the edge and the second machine part are acquired. A motion speed of the first machine part relative to the second machine part is determined on the basis of the plurality of images. The motion speed is compared to a reference speed value or speed profile, defining a nominal speed of the first machine part relative to the second machine part during the working movement and an acceptable tolerance interval. The working movement is stopped if the motion speed deviates from the reference speed beyond the tolerance interval.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2018Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Mark Hufnagel, Roland Leibfarth
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Patent number: 10532714Abstract: A safety switching device for switching on and safely switching off an electrical load, comprising a failsafe evaluation/control unit, an output terminal for providing a potential, a switching element having a first working contact, wherein the potential is connectable to the output terminal via the first working contact, and an input terminal for receiving an input signal for operating the switching element via the evaluation/control unit. Additionally, the safety switching device comprises a separator having a connecting piece, a drive element and a separating element. The drive element is configured to mechanically move the separating element from a first position into a second position and the connecting piece and the first working contact electrically connect in series with one another the potential to the output terminal. Further, in the second position the separating element irreversibly separates the connecting piece into two pieces.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2017Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventor: Joerg Seid
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Patent number: 10483725Abstract: A carrier rail housing comprises: a carrier rail receiving opening into which the holding legs of a carrier rail are insertable; a locking mechanism to secure the holding legs in a desired mounting position and comprising locking slides to interlock with the carrier rail housing in a locking position; a plug-in contact element arranged inside the carrier rail housing to face the carrier rail receiving opening; and a bus connector into which plug-in contacts of the plug-in contact element are insertable, the bus connector being connectable to a plug-in contact element of at least one additional carrier rail housing, wherein each of the locking slides comprises a first end that comprises a holding section that extends in sections into the carrier rail receiving opening in the locking position, so that the bus connector is secured between the holding sections of the locking slides and the plug-in contact element.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2018Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co. KGInventor: Lothar Merz
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Patent number: 10460895Abstract: A safety switching device for fail-safely disconnecting an electrical load has an input part for receiving a safety-relevant input signal, a logic part for processing the at least one safety-relevant input signal, and an output part. The output part has a relay coil and four relay contacts. The first and second relay contacts are arranged electrically in series with one another. The third and fourth relay contacts are also arranged electrically in series with one another. The first and the third relay contacts are mechanically coupled to each other and form a first group of positively driven relay contacts. The second and the fourth relay contacts are mechanically coupled to each other and form a second group of positively driven relay contacts. The logic part redundantly controls the first and the second groups of positively driven relay contacts to selectively allow, or to interrupt in a fail-safe manner, a current flow to the electrical load, depending on the safety-relevant input signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Jürgen Pullmann, Roland Rupp, Christoph Zinser, Antonio Spataro, Marco Giger, Hans Schwenkel
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Patent number: 10437571Abstract: A user program for a safety controller is created by means of a program editor. The user program has a first program portion and at least one additional program portion. The first program portion defines safety-related logical dependencies between selected sensor signals and actuator signals. The user program is compiled and linked, in order to obtain an executable original program code. The original program code is transferred to a first memory of the safety controller and executed by a processor of the safety controller. The first program portion may be modified and compiled in order to obtain a modified first code portion. The modified first code portion is transferred to a second memory of the safety controller while the original program code is executed. The modified first code portion is then executed in addition to the original additional code portion and instead of the original first code portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2016Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Stefan Woehrle, Frank Von Haugwitz, Ralf Bauer
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Patent number: 10395507Abstract: An emergency command device comprises: two safety inputs connectable to a control/evaluating unit to receive an input voltage; two safety outputs connectable to the control/evaluating unit; two electrical switching paths respectively extending between the two safety inputs and the two safety outputs; an emergency actuating unit comprising: a manually triggerable actuating element, a background element, and two switches connected to the actuating element and respectively disposed in the two electrical switching paths; a light emitting unit comprising red LEDs to backlight the actuating element and yellow LEDs to backlight the background element; a voltage detector detect an electrical output voltage at one of the two safety outputs; and a flashing circuit arrangement coupled to activate flashing of the yellow LEDs and/or the red LEDs in response to detection by the voltage detector of a drop in the output voltage below a preset or presettable threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Martin Bellingkrodt, Jörg Seid, Sergej Birt
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Patent number: 10394211Abstract: An electronic safety switching device comprising at least a first and a second signal processing channel to which input signals may be supplied for signal processing. The first and second signal processing channels provide processed output signals, wherein the first and the second signal processing channels process the supplied input signals redundantly with respect to one other. The first and the second signal processing channels are each formed as integrated circuits, wherein the first signal processing channel is arranged monolithically on a first semiconductor substrate, and the second signal processing channel is arranged monolithically on a second semiconductor substrate. Furthermore, the first and the second semiconductor substrates are combined into a stack to form a one-piece electronic component.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Thorsten Godau, Norbert Froehlich, Matthias Holzaepfel, Hans Schwenkel
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Patent number: 10366845Abstract: An emergency off-switch for triggering an emergency switch-off function has an actuator and two electrical contact points that can be disconnected from one another by the actuator. The emergency off-switch has an active operating state in which the emergency switch-off function can be triggered by moving the actuator, and a passive operating state in which the emergency off-switch is functionless. The emergency off-switch further has a visualization unit having at least a first and a second display state. The emergency off-switch is visually highlighted in the first display state, and the emergency off-switch is neutrally represented in the second display state. The visualization unit adopts the first display state in the active operating state and adopts the second display state in the passive operating state. The emergency off-switch also has a monitoring unit which monitors whether the visualization unit is in the first or in the second display state.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Martin Bellingkrodt, Christoph Zinser, Christoph Weishaar, Helge Peters
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Patent number: 10353835Abstract: A modular control apparatus, having a head module, and at least one supply module and peripheral module arranged on the head module and having a bus structure. The supply module and the peripheral module have a base module part, an electronic module part and a connection module part. The base module parts are arranged next to one another and provide the bus structure that electrically couples the head module, the supply module and the peripheral module to one another. The supply module additionally comprises an electrical line that runs from the connection module part through the electronic module part to the base module part and connects the supply connection of the supply module to the bus structure. An overload identification unit is arranged at the electrical line and determines a parameter of the electrical line and produces a warning signal if the parameter exceeds a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2018Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Richard Veil, Bernd Harrer
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Patent number: 10350764Abstract: A sensor assembly comprising first, second and third layers of flexible material forming, when superposed, a pressure-sensitive sensor having at least two sensor cells. The first layer comprises first and second electrically conductive regions mechanically connected to each other via an electrically non-conductive region. The second layer comprises a third electrically conductive region. The third electrically conductive region of the second layer overlaps the first and second electrically conductive regions of the first layer. The region of overlap defines an active region of a first and a second sensor cell. The third layer is formed of a conductive elastic material that cooperates under a local mechanical load in the active region with the first and second conductive regions of the first layer so that an electrical resistance between the electrical conductive regions changes in the place of the compressive load.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2018Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Onedin Ibrocevic, Matthias Kuczera, Matthias Schweiker
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Patent number: 10310484Abstract: A device for failsafe monitoring a number of passes of a moving machine part through a defined movement region comprising an input for receiving an encoder signal, which represents a motion value of the moving machine part. The device further comprises a failsafe evaluation unit for providing a failsafe shutdown signal as a function of the number of passes of the moving machine part through the defined movement region. The failsafe evaluation unit is configured to determine the number of passes of the moving machine part through the defined movement region from the motion value.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventor: Michael Schlecht
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Patent number: 10302251Abstract: An apparatus for safeguarding a monitoring area, in which an automatically operating machine is disposed, comprises: (i) a sensor unit including a camera system for producing images of the monitoring area; (ii) a configuration unit for defining first and second protection areas; and (iii) an evaluation unit for triggering a safety-related function. The first protection area is at a first distance from the machine and the second protection area is at a second greater distance from the machine. The sensor unit monitors both the first protection area and the second protection area. The evaluation unit analyzes the images produced by the camera system so as to evaluate both (i) whether a machine element of the machine enters the first protection area as well as (ii) whether a foreign object enters the second protection area. The evaluation unit triggers the safety-related function if at least one of these events occurs.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2015Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventor: Joachim Merx
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Patent number: 10242823Abstract: A guard door monitoring system comprising a guard door monitoring module for monitoring a state of a guard door to a safety area. The guard door monitoring system also comprises a control unit, configured to analyze a guard door signal generated by interaction between an actuator and a sensor, and to control a machine or system located in the safety area depending on the guard door signal. A locking device with a main body and a locking lever arranged on the main body is additionally provided. The locking lever can be moved relative to the main body from a release position into a blocking position in which the locking lever prevents the interaction between the actuator and the sensor, wherein the locking device comprises a receptacle for a lockable securing part, which, when introduced into the receptacle, keeps the locking lever in the blocking position.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2015Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Joachim Rink, Markus Winkler
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Patent number: 10140226Abstract: A modular control apparatus, having a head module, and at least one supply module and peripheral module arranged on the head module and having a bus structure. The supply module and the peripheral module have a base module part, an electronic module part and a connection module part. The base module parts are arranged next to one another and provide the bus structure that electrically couples the head module, the supply module and the peripheral module to one another. The supply module additionally comprises an electrical line that runs from the connection module part through the electronic module part to the base module part and connects the supply connection of the supply module to the bus structure. An overload identification unit is arranged at the electrical line and determines a parameter of the electrical line and produces a warning signal if the parameter exceeds a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2016Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Richard Veil, Bernd Harrer
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Patent number: 10126727Abstract: A method and system for safely switching off an electrical load in a system comprising a multi-channel control unit, a single-channel data transmission path and an output unit having a first processing unit, a second processing unit and safe outputs. The method comprises receiving and evaluating an input signal by the multi-channel control unit and generating an enable signal based on the evaluation; transmitting the enable signal to the output unit via the single-channel data transmission path; receiving the enable signal by the first processing unit and generating an output signal based on the enable signal; providing at least one part of the enable signal from the first processing unit to the second processing unit for evaluation therewith; generating a dynamic clock signal by the second processing unit based on the enable signal; and controlling the safe outputs based on the output signal and the dynamic clock signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Michael Haerter, Dietmar Seizinger
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Patent number: 10068348Abstract: A method for identifying in camera images individual structural elements of a structural pattern projected by a projector onto a scene. First and second cameras are used to pick up the structural pattern. The cameras are positioned at a distance from one another, and the projector is positioned outside a straight line connecting the two cameras and at a distance from the cameras. With respect to a particular structural element to be identified in the camera image of the first camera, the structural element in the camera image of the second camera which can be associated one-to-one with the particular structural element is determined by way of calibration data. The calibration data for the individual structural elements comprises combinations of parameters which correlate the respective structural element with the location and orientation of both the first camera and the projector, and of the second camera and the projector.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2017Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventor: Martin Wendler
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Patent number: D837152Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Lydia Wegerer, Markus Cech, Andreas Bell