公开(公告)号：US6166371A

公开(公告)日：2000-12-26

申请号：US302333

申请日：1999-04-30

申请人： Terry J. Milbrath ,  Jonn R. Hitch ,  Joe C. Hlebasko ,  Steven H. Mersch

发明人： Terry J. Milbrath ,  Jonn R. Hitch ,  Joe C. Hlebasko ,  Steven H. Mersch

IPC分类号： F16P3/14 ,  G01V8/20 ,  G06M7/00 ,  H01J40/14

CPC分类号： G01V8/20 ,  F16P3/144

摘要： A Diffuse Reflective Light Curtain System comprises at least one light curtain defining a border of a work zone for a robotic machine. Each light curtain comprises a primary board having multiple wells formed therein. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) and light detectors are alternately placed in the multiple wells. The LEDs shine light up from the wells to form a curtain of light above the primary board. If an object comes into contact with the curtain of light emitted from the LEDs, the light is reflected back to toward the board and enters the wells of the board where the light detectors sense the presence of LED light. When the light detectors in the wells sense the presence of LED light, they send a signal to a controller to indicate that the light curtain has been breached by a foreign object. The controller, in turn, suspends the operation of the robotic machine that is protected by the light curtain. If multiple light curtains are used to define a plurality of work zones, sensors may be connected to the controller to determine the physical position of the robotic machine. The controller selectively enables or disables each of the light curtains based upon inputs received from the sensors to allow for foreign objects to enter particular work zones at different times during the operation of the robotic machine.

摘要翻译： 散射反射光幕系统包括至少一个限定用于机器人机器的工作区边界的光幕。 每个光幕包括其中形成有多个阱的主板。 发光二极管（LED）和光检测器交替放置在多个井中。 LED从井中点亮，在主板上方形成一道光。 如果物体与LED发出的光线接触，则光被反射回朝向电路板并进入光检测器感测到LED灯的存在的板的阱。 当井中的光检测器感测到LED灯的存在时，它们向控制器发送信号以指示光幕已被异物破坏。 控制器又停止由光幕保护的机器人机器的操作。 如果使用多个光幕来定义多个工作区域，则传感器可以连接到控制器以确定机器人机器的物理位置。 控制器基于从传感器接收的输入选择性地启用或禁用每个光幕，以允许异物在机器人机器的操作期间的不同时间进入特定的工作区域。