A drive device for a protective hood of a machine includes a counterweight, a pulling means connecting the protective hood to the counterweight, a motor, and a freewheel. The freewheel connects the motor to the pulling means and is arranged to block when a weight force of the protective hood is greater than a weight force of the counterweight. The freewheel may be a linear freewheel or the freewheel may operate between two rotatable elements. The freewheel may be a frictionally locking freewheel or a positive locking freewheel.

A drive device for a protective hood of a machine includes a counterweight, a pulling means connecting the protective hood to the counterweight, a motor, and a freewheel. The freewheel connects the motor to the pulling means and is arranged to block when a weight force of the protective hood is greater than a weight force of the counterweight. The freewheel may be a linear freewheel or the freewheel may operate between two rotatable elements. The freewheel may be a frictionally locking freewheel or a positive locking freewheel.

A non-mechanical-interfacing electronic switch or a mechanical-interfacing electronic switch are controlled to modulate between an active state and an inactive state based on electronic action. The switch includes an aperture defining an opening in a housing, and the opening defines an insertion path. A transmitter transmits a signal to a receiver along a signal path. To control the non-mechanical-interfacing electronic switch, a mechanical lockout device having a protrusion is inserted through the opening of the aperture along the insertion path. To control the mechanical-interfacing electronic switch, a mechanical control part have a protrusion is moveable to interrupt the signal. Methods of locking the non-mechanical-interfacing electronic switch with the mechanical lockout device as well as methods of locking the mechanical control part of the mechanical interfacing electronic switch with the mechanical lockout device are also provided.

A non-mechanical-interfacing electronic switch or a mechanical-interfacing electronic switch are controlled to modulate between an active state and an inactive state based on electronic action. The switch includes an aperture defining an opening in a housing, and the opening defines an insertion path. A transmitter transmits a signal to a receiver along a signal path. To control the non-mechanical-interfacing electronic switch, a mechanical lockout device having a protrusion is inserted through the opening of the aperture along the insertion path. To control the mechanical-interfacing electronic switch, a mechanical control part have a protrusion is moveable to interrupt the signal. Methods of locking the non-mechanical-interfacing electronic switch with the mechanical lockout device as well as methods of locking the mechanical control part of the mechanical interfacing electronic switch with the mechanical lockout device are also provided.

For locking industrial safety guarding, a sensor includes an inductive coil that generates a second sensing field about a second sensing field axis at a second frequency that detects advancement of a locking bolt. The sensor further includes at least two radio frequency identifier (RFID) coils that generate a first sensing field at a first frequency that detects an RFID tag. A second RFID coil of the at least two RFID coils has a second polarity reversed from a first polarity a first RFID coil of the at least two RFID coils and reduces the first sensing field at the second sensing field axis.

A fall-protection system including a harness and a fall-protection apparatus with a lifeline bearing a connector configured to be connected to the harness; and, a fall-protection monitoring system with a base unit and with at least one sensor module configured to sense a condition of the connector and to communicate a signal indicative of the condition of the connector to the base unit.

A machine tool (1) includes: a door (5) that opens and closes an opening in a shield cover (3) surrounding a machining chamber; an electromagnetic lock device (6) that includes dual-system switches that detect an open/closed state of the door (5), and that can lock the door (5) in a closed state; a door position detection unit that detects a position of the door (5); and a report unit that monitors states of the dual-system switches of the electromagnetic lock device (6) and suggests maintenance of the door (5) when the states differ from each other for a predetermined period of time and when the door position detection unit detects that the door (5) is not in a closed position.

A machine tool (1) includes: a door (5) that opens and closes an opening in a shield cover (3) surrounding a machining chamber; an electromagnetic lock device (6) that includes dual-system switches that detect an open/closed state of the door (5), and that can lock the door (5) in a closed state; a door position detection unit that detects a position of the door (5); and a report unit that monitors states of the dual-system switches of the electromagnetic lock device (6) and suggests maintenance of the door (5) when the states differ from each other for a predetermined period of time and when the door position detection unit detects that the door (5) is not in a closed position.

Examples of an interface module includes a fan filter unit having a fan and a filter, a housing surrounding a space adjacent to the filter, the housing includes a door, an upper housing surrounding a space adjacent to the fan, a first port provided in the upper housing, a second port communicating to a FFU internal space, the FFU internal space is a space between the fan and the filter in the fan filter unit, and a differential pressure gauge connected to the first port and the second port to detect a differential pressure between an interior of the upper housing and the FFU internal space.

Examples of an interface module includes a fan filter unit having a fan and a filter, a housing surrounding a space adjacent to the filter, the housing includes a door, an upper housing surrounding a space adjacent to the fan, a first port provided in the upper housing, a second port communicating to a FFU internal space, the FFU internal space is a space between the fan and the filter in the fan filter unit, and a differential pressure gauge connected to the first port and the second port to detect a differential pressure between an interior of the upper housing and the FFU internal space.