Safety switch device attached to mobile terminal for operating machine and machine operation device including safety switch device

{
  "publication_number": "US11667038B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Safety switch device attached to mobile terminal for operating machine and machine operation device including safety switch device",
  "abstract": "A safety switch device includes a first support member and a second support member which are formed so as to secure a mobile terminal, and a grip part to be grasped by an operator's hand. The safety switch device includes an enable switch for transmitting a signal for permitting a robot to operate, and an emergency stop button for transmitting a signal for stopping the robot. The first support member and the second support member are formed so as to secure a plurality of types of mobile terminals having different sizes. The grip part is disposed at the center part of the shape of the back surface of the mobile terminal, which corresponds to the position of the center of gravity of the mobile terminal.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A safety switch device attached to a mobile terminal for operating a machine, comprising: a fixation mechanism formed so as to secure the mobile terminal; a grip part supported by the fixation mechanism, which is to be grasped by a hand of an operator; a permission switch which is disposed on the grip part and which transmits a signal for permitting the machine to operate; and an emergency stop button for transmitting a signal for stopping the machine, wherein the fixation mechanism is formed so as to secure a plurality of types of the mobile terminals having different sizes; and the grip part is supported by the fixation mechanism so as to be disposed at a center part of a shape of a back surface of the mobile terminal, which corresponds to the position of the center of gravity of the mobile terminal, wherein the grip part has a longitudinal direction, and the permission switch is disposed on an end face of the grip part, and is formed so as to protrude in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction.",
    "2. The safety switch device according to claim 1, wherein the fixation mechanism includes: a first support member having a first recess part to be engaged with one end of the mobile terminal; a second support member having a second recess part to be engaged with the other end of the mobile terminal; and a securing member for securing the second support member to the first support member, the second support member is formed so as to slide with respect to the first support member, and the first support member and the second support member sandwich the mobile terminal such that the fixation mechanism secures the mobile terminal.",
    "3. The safety switch device according to claim 1, wherein the grip part has a symmetrical sectional shape with respect to a center line in the width direction of the grip part when cutting along the line perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.",
    "4. The safety switch device according to claim 1, further comprising a protection member secured to the fixation mechanism, wherein the protection member is disposed around a cable when the safety switch device is connected to the mobile terminal by the cable, and is formed so as to be higher than the height of the cable protruding from the mobile terminal.",
    "5. The safety switch device according to claim 1, wherein the grip part has a longitudinal direction, the safety switch device further comprises a press member for preventing the hand of the operator from moving away from the grip part, and the press member extends along the longitudinal direction such that the hand of the operator is disposed between the press member and the grip part.",
    "6. The safety switch device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the fixation mechanism and the grip part has a dent part formed on a side surface, and the dent part is formed at a position to be engaged with at least one of the index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger when the operator grasps the grip part.",
    "7. A machine operation device comprising: the safety switch device according to claim 1; and the mobile terminal secured to the safety switch device."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a safety switch device attached to a mobile terminal for operating a machine, and a machine operation device including the safety switch device.\n\nMachines such as robots are controlled by machine controllers. In prior arts, an operation device, which can be carried by an operator so that the operator can easily operate a machine and which is connected to a machine controller, is known (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-122243A and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-38661A). The machine operation device is formed so as to be able to communicate with the machine controller via a communication line.\n\nIn recent years, the use of a mobile terminal such as a tablet, as a device for operating a machine has been proposed (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-167396A and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-202550A). The mobile terminal, such as a tablet, includes a touch panel type display. The mobile terminal can display information about the machine. The operator can check, for example, the state of the machine and confirm a setting value for operating the machine. Further, images, such as buttons, displayed on the display are operated so that the machine can be operated, or the predetermined information can be input. Thus, the operator can operate the machine and input the information even at a position away from the controller.\n\nWhen an operation device is connected to a controller, an operator can operate a machine while standing at various positions and watching the state of the machine.",
  "cpc": [
    "B25J 13/06",
    "B25J 13/081",
    "B25J 19/06",
    "B60R 2011/0071",
    "F16B 2/12",
    "F16M 11/041",
    "F16M 13/00",
    "F16M 13/04",
    "F16M 2200/00",
    "F16M 2200/027",
    "G05G 1/01",
    "G05G 1/02",
    "G05G 11/00",
    "H04M 1/026",
    "H04M 1/04",
    "H04M 1/72409",
    "H04M 1/724095"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 13/06",
    "B25J 13/08",
    "B25J 19/06",
    "B60R 11/00",
    "F16B 2/12",
    "F16M 11/04",
    "G05G 1/01",
    "G05G 1/02",
    "G05G 11/00",
    "H04M 1/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Fanuc Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Tan Qin Chen"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-06-25",
  "publication_date": "2023-06-06",
  "grant_date": "2023-06-06",
  "priority_date": "2019-07-09",
  "application_number": "US-202016911494-A",
  "family_id": "74059151",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "JPH0890485A",
    "JPH11216693A",
    "JP2001038661A",
    "US20050141681A1",
    "JP2004122243A",
    "US8240628B2",
    "JP2013202731A",
    "US9597807B2",
    "US20160114478A1",
    "US20160144513A1",
    "US10780580B2",
    "US20160297067A1",
    "US9981378B2",
    "US10099383B2",
    "JP2017202550A",
    "US20190299404A1",
    "US10920927B2",
    "US10442088B2",
    "JP2018176359A",
    "US20190384359A1",
    "US10890943B2",
    "JP2018167396A",
    "US20200338748A1"
  ]
}