Patents Assigned to Pilz GmbH & Co. KG
  • Patent number: 9429271
    Abstract: A safety circuit assembly for switching on or switching off a hazardous system in a failsafe manner has an evaluating device which is designed to produce a redundant switching signal. The evaluating device is connected to a signaling device via a first and a second line forming a pair of lines. The signaling device has an actuator which can be switched between a defined first state and at least one further state. The evaluating device produces a first defined pulse signal and transmits the first defined pulse signal to the signaling device using the pair of lines in a first direction. The signaling device produces a second defined pulse signal, which is a predefined replica of the first pulse signal, and transmits the second defined pulse signal to the evaluating device using the same pair of lines when the actuator is in the defined first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Hans Schwenkel, Winfried Gruber
  • Patent number: 9423784
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement for detecting a safe installation state of an automated installation has an input circuit designed to receive a first input signal and at least one further input signal. The first input signal depends on the safe installation state to be detected. The further input signal depends on a further operational state. The sensor arrangement also has a first output and at least one second output and an evaluation unit for outputting a first output signal and a second output signal at the first and second outputs, respectively. The evaluation unit is designed to evaluate the first input signal in a failsafe manner and on the basis thereof produce a redundant signal pair at the first and second outputs to signal a safe installation state, and to evaluate the further input signal and on the basis thereof generate non-redundant output signals different from the redundant signal pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Christophe Arth, Erik Holzapfel, Martin Bellingkrodt
  • Patent number: 9405278
    Abstract: A safety control device for safely controlling a hazardous installation has a first and a second calculation unit and an output unit for driving at least one actuator. The control device acquires an input signal and determines a floating point value depending on the input signal. The first and second calculation units each determine an input interval as a function of the floating point value. The first and second calculation units each further determine a result interval as a function of the input interval by applying a first calculation algorithm to the input interval. The first calculation algorithm is based on interval arithmetic. The result intervals from the first and second calculation units are compared and an output value is determined as a function of the result intervals. An output signal is determined as a function of the output value. The output signal drives the at least one actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Simon Stegmaier, Timo Nawratil, Juergen Wuellrich
  • Patent number: 9407086
    Abstract: A safety switching device for switching on or off a hazardous installation in a failsafe manner has a failsafe control/evaluating unit and a power supply for providing at least one operating voltage for the control/evaluating unit. The power supply has a voltage converter for converting an input voltage into an output voltage of a defined output voltage value. The output voltage corresponds to the operating voltage. The power supply has a fault detector for detecting a fault condition of the voltage converter. The fault detector has a comparator for comparing a currently existent output voltage with a defined reference voltage. The fault detector provides a fault condition signal upon detection of a predetermined deviation from the reference voltage. The power supply also has a switch which disconnects the input voltage of the voltage converter when the fault condition signal is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Richard Veil, Udo Mueller
  • Patent number: 9346091
    Abstract: A safety device for a machine, in which machine a first machine part having a leading edge performs a working movement towards a second machine part, comprises a plurality of optical safety barriers and an evaluation unit. The optical safety barriers move in the working movement simultaneously with the first machine part in such a manner that the safety barriers move in advance of the leading edge at various spaced dispositions. The optical safety barriers span a protective field that has a two-dimensional cross section. The evaluation unit is designed for generating a stop signal to stop the first machine part in dependence upon the optical safety barriers. Towards the end of the working movement, the optical safety barriers are held substantially stationary in the region of the second machine part. The optical safety barriers are deactivated one following the other before they are interrupted by the first machine part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Mark Hufnagel, Roland Leibfarth
  • Patent number: 9343896
    Abstract: A safety circuit arrangement for the failsafe monitoring of a movement variable of a moving machine part has a signal input for supplying an encoder signal, with the encoder signal being representative of the movement variable to be monitored. The arrangement also has a reference signal path for supplying a reference signal, a tap connected to the signal input and to the reference signal path in order to provide a superposition signal by superposing the reference signal on the encoder signal, and a measuring unit which is connected to the tap and is designed to detect whether the superposition signal reaches at least one predefined signal level or is within a predefined signal level range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Andre Laturner
  • Patent number: 9310795
    Abstract: A safety controller for controlling an automated installation in accordance with a user program has a control unit receiving a plurality of control input signals from a plurality of sensors. The control unit produces a plurality of control output signals on the basis of the control input signals in accordance with a user program. The control output signals drive actuators in order to adopt one of a plurality of installation states of the automated installation. An installation diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of installation state signals representing which one of the plurality of installation states is existent at a defined moment of time. In addition, a system diagnosis evaluation unit produces a number of system state signals, with each system state signal representing one from a plurality of operational system states of the controller system, which is formed by the control unit and its connected sensors and actuators, at the defined moment of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Martin Zondler, Helmut Ehrhart, Harald Foerster
  • Patent number: 9298664
    Abstract: A control apparatus has a number of modules arranged next to one another in a longitudinal direction. The modules each comprise at least one module part having a housing. Furthermore, the module part comprises a first electrical bus connector on a first side of the housing for electrical connection to a first neighboring module part adjacent in the longitudinal direction, and a second electrical bus connector on a second side, opposite the first side, of the housing for electrical connection to a second neighboring module part adjacent in the longitudinal direction. The module part further comprises at least one movable element, movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the movable element provides an electrical connection between the first bus connector and the second bus connector and, in the second position, provides an insulation point between the first bus connector and the second bus connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Winfried Gruber, Hermann Stadler, Patrick Hewer, Markus Winkler
  • Patent number: 9293285
    Abstract: A safety circuit arrangement for failsafe connection or disconnection of a hazardous installation has a control device, which is designed to connect or interrupt, in failsafe fashion, a power supply path to the installation. The safety circuit arrangement also has a signaling device, which is connected to the control device via a two-wire line having a first core and a second core. The signaling device has an actuator, which can change between a defined first state and a second state. Between the two cores is a substantially constant voltage when the actuator is in the second state. A pulse generator in the signaling device causes a voltage dip between the first core and the second core in order to generate a defined pulsed signal comprising a plurality of signal pulses on the lines, when the actuator is in the defined first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Juergen Pullmann, Christoph Zinser, Michael Schlecht
  • Patent number: 9292924
    Abstract: A first and a second image recording unit, which are arranged at a defined distance from one another, are provided for monitoring a spatial region. The spatial region has at least one structure having a plurality of substantially parallel edges. A number of reference marks are arranged at the structure. A first image of the spatial region is recorded by means of the first image recording unit. A second image is recorded by means of the second image recording unit. A number of reference distances between the image recording units and the reference marks are determined. A structure position of the structure is determined on the basis of the reference distances. Moreover, a number of object positions are determined on the basis of the first and second images, wherein each object position represents the spatial distance of an object relative to the image recording units. Depending on the object positions, a switching signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Martin Wietfeld
  • Patent number: 9276762
    Abstract: A bus-based control system comprises a plurality of bus subscribers which are connected to one another by means of a communication medium. The bus subscribers are assigned logical subscriber addresses. Next, the assigned subscriber addresses are verified. For this purpose, the bus subscribers use a defined mathematical operation to calculate a common first check value which is compared with a second check value. The mathematical operation begins with a defined starting value and comprises a number of operation steps which use a number of defined operands. Each of the subscriber addresses to be verified forms a different operand, and each bus subscriber executes at least one operation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Thorsten Godau, Michael Haerter, Dietmar Seizinger, Reiner Haueisen
  • Patent number: 9232675
    Abstract: An operator cabinet has a wall having a front side, a rear side and a cutout defined by an inner edge. An operator terminal is installed in the cutout and has a frame surrounding a display for displaying at least one system state of a technical system. The outer frame edge is dimensioned so as to be larger than the inner edge of the cutout, with the result that, when installed, the frame can rest on the front side of the wall. A plate having an outer plate edge is dimensioned so as to be larger than the inner edge of the cutout with the result that, when installed, the plate can rest on the rear side of the wall. A plurality of bolts are secured at one end on the frame and extend, when installed, through the cutout and then through corresponding holes in the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Daniel Schurr, Christoph Zell, Joachim Rink
  • Patent number: 9188964
    Abstract: A safety controller for controlling an automated installation in accordance with a user program has a plurality of control components. At least some of the control components have a respective data bus interface. The data bus interface is designed to receive and send data. The safety controller also has a data bus to which the plurality of control components are connected via the respective data bus interfaces for the purpose of interchanging data. A configuration interface is designed to receive configuration data ascertained on the basis of association data generated by a programming tool. The configuration data determine at least one characteristic of the data bus or of at least one data bus interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Woehrle, Matthias Reusch
  • Patent number: 9151446
    Abstract: A monitoring device for monitoring a spatial area comprises at least one image recording unit. A three-dimensional image of the spatial area is recorded and displayed in order to configure. the monitoring device. A configuration plane is defined using a plurality of spatial points which have been determined within the three-dimensional image. Subsequently, at least one variable geometry element is defined relative to the configuration plane. A data record which represents a transformation of the geometry element into the spatial area is generated and transferred to the monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Dietmar Doettling, Oliver Fuchs, James Sugrue
  • Patent number: 9128480
    Abstract: A safety controller controls an automated installation on the basis of project data representing an individual application running. The safety controller has a plurality of controller hardware components. At least some controller hardware components have a respective project data memory. The project data memories each are designed to store project data supplied to them. The safety controller includes a connecting unit, such as a communication network, which connects the controller hardware components to one another. The safety controller also has a distribution unit for distributing at least some of the project data via the connecting unit to at least some of the project data memories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Reusch, Karsten Petzold, Michael Kling, Patrick Schips, Bernd Banzhaf, Florian Stanko, Herbert Walter, Timo Nawratil
  • Patent number: 9122266
    Abstract: In a method for collision-free interaction between a machine having mobile machine elements and objects in its vicinity, safety regions are established and monitored using the knowledge of the current position and the dynamic behavior. In particular, image data of the mobile machine element are recorded by means of an image acquisition system and are correlated with a database compiled in a training phase with image data of at least one mobile machine element. The database contains image data relating to a plurality of movement phases within the movement process of the machine. Using the database, both the current position of the mobile machine element is ascertained and a future position, reachable within the stopping time, is estimated. The dynamic behavior of the machine in the event of collision risk is optimized on the basis of this estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Andre Franke, Lars Krueger, Christian Woehler
  • Patent number: 9112318
    Abstract: A control apparatus has a module having first and second module parts, which can be mechanically and electrically combined to form a combined arrangement. The first and second module parts each comprise a housing having a boundary surface opposite one another in the combined arrangement that define a boundary plane. The first and second module parts are combined by a pivoting movement about a pivot axis arranged perpendicular to the boundary plane. One of the module parts has a number of contacts comprising a first electrical contact, and the other module part has a number of mating contacts comprising a first electrical mating contact. In the combined arrangement, each electrical contact makes contact with its corresponding mating contact for electrical connection between the first and second module parts. The contacts comprise conductor tracks on a nonconductive board such that a printed circuit board is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Markus Cech, Andreas Veit, Patrick Hewer, Thorsten Godau
  • Patent number: 9098074
    Abstract: A safety-related control unit for controlling an automated installation in accordance with an application program containing control instructions. The safety-related control unit has first and second processors for executing at least some of the control instructions by processing a plurality of first and second program variables, respectively. The first processor also determines a first test value for at least one of the first program variables in accordance with an instantaneous value present for this first program variable at a first defined instance of time. The second processor determines a second test value for the at least one of the first program variables. The second test value corresponds to the first test value. The safety-related control unit also has a data memory for storing the instantaneous value, the first test value and the second test value in order to facilitate a quick restart of the control unit after an unexpected interrupt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Peter Moosmann
  • Patent number: 8988527
    Abstract: A spatial area is monitored by means of at least a first and a second image recording unit that have a common viewing area. At least one virtual protection zone is defined within the common viewing area. A first and a second image of the spatial area are recorded by means of the first and a second image recording unit. The images are compared with one another in order to identify mutually disjoint image regions in the images. An alarm signal is generated when a disjoint image region covers the virtual protection zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co KG.
    Inventors: Joerg Haussmann, Soeren Hader
  • Patent number: D738829
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Markus Cech, Andreas Veit, Markus Winkler, Andreas Bell, Klaus Baumgartner