Method for Operating a Bale Opener and Such a Bale Opener

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a bale opener (1) having a stripping element (3) and a safety device for protection against penetration into a hazardous zone of the stripping element (3), said safety device consisting of sensory safety means, wherein a monitoring region (13, 13.sub.1, 13.sub.2, 13.sub.3) at the front beneath the stripping element is detected and wherein the stripping element (3) is mounted on a stripping tower (2). According to the invention the safety device is at least one two-dimensional laser scanner (12), on which at least one monitoring region (13, 13.sub.1, 13.sub.2, 13.sub.3), which is adjustable and variable over time, is monitored. The invention also relates to a corresponding bale opener (1).

Claims

1. A method for operating a bale opener (1) having a stripping element (3) and a safety device for protection against penetration into a hazardous zone of the stripping element (3), said safety device consisting of sensory safety means, wherein a monitoring region (13) at the front beneath the stripping element is detected and wherein the stripping element (3) is mounted on a stripping tower (2), characterized in that the safety device is at least one two-dimensional laser scanner (12) on which at least one monitoring region (13) which is adjustable and variable over time is monitored.

2-14. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0017] The invention will now be explained in greater detail on the basis of the accompanying figures, in which

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a bale opener,

[0019] FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a stripping tower with a laser scanner according to the invention, and

[0020] FIG. 3a-c show a specific embodiment of the functioning of a laser scanner according to the invention.

[0021] Only features that are important for the invention are shown in the figures. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same features.

MEANS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0022] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic diagram a bale opener 1 according to the invention. The bale opener 1 consists essentially of a stripping tower 2 and a stripping element 3. The stripping element 3 is mounted on one side of the stripping tower 2 and is disposed so that it is freely cantilevered over the fiber bale 4. The stripping tower 2 is equipped with a running gear 5. The stripping tower 2 is moved along the fiber bale 4 on rails 6 with the help of the running gear 5. Due to this movement, the stripping element 3 mounted on the stripping tower 2 is guided over the surface of the fiber bale 4 situated beneath it. The mounting of the stripping element 3 on the stripping tower 2 is designed to be adjustable in height, so that the fiber bales 4 can be stripped continuously. A stripping roller 7 having an axle 8 is arranged in the stripping element 3. The stripping roller 7 removes fiber flocks from the fiber bale 4. The fiber flocks are removed from the stripping roller 7 by means of a vacuum through the suction hood 9 and sent to the stripping tower 2. A transport channel 10 which receives the fiber flocks from the suction hood 9 and sends them to a pneumatic fiber flock transport system 11 is arranged in the stripping tower 2 The transport channel 10 and thus also the suction hood 9 are under a certain vacuum which serves to provide pneumatic conveyance for the fiber flocks to the transport channel 10. According to the invention, a two-dimensional laser scanner 12 is present on the stripping element on the front end. The laser scanner 12 scans its surroundings by emitting a laser pulse. If the laser pulse strikes an object, it is reflected to the receiver of the laser scanner 12.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the stripping element have the functioning of a laser scanner 12. The laser scanner 12 monitors various monitoring regions 13, which are independently adjustable and variable over time. In the example shown here according to FIG. 2, three different safety fields are defined, forming three independent monitoring regions 13.sub.1, 13.sub.2, 13.sub.3. Two of these safety fields are adjusted, so that they remain above the floor but extend deeper than the stripping roller. This redundant monitoring serves to provide safety for the system according to the invention. Another safety field scans the floor continuously. The bale opener 1 is stopped as soon as at least one safety field of the first two has detected an object (for example, a person near the machine, etc.) or as soon as the aforementioned safety field three would no longer detect the floor because the laser scanner 12, for example, has failed. Since the stripping element 3 is now lowered in the course of stripping the fiber bale, the monitoring region 13.sub.1, 13.sub.2 of the first two safety fields must be reduced in size with an increase in depth of the stripping element 3. Only in this way can reliable monitoring of the stripping element 3 be ensured.

[0024] For additional security, various field sets can now be defined, in which the defined monitoring regions 13.sub.1, 13.sub.2, 13.sub.3 are inverted, for example, or altered in some other way. For example, each time the stripping roller 7 is stopped after one stripping pass or is stopped at other predefined points in time or at predefined locations of the stripping element 3, the sensor 12 itself is also monitored as follows: one field set, in which the safety fields 1 and 2 must see the floor (i.e., an object, a person, etc.) and safety field 3 must not see the floor (i.e., no object) is used. If a condition does not correspond to the expected result, the machine is stopped and then is not ready to start. Next, the field set is switched back to normal operation (corresponding to the height of the stripping element) and there is also an analysis of whether this is correct.

[0025] At the same time, it is possible to define various field sets with monitoring regions 13 that can be adjusted in various ways and are variable over time. Between these field sets, it is possible to switch back and forth as desired. At the same time, the shape of the scanning field can be selected with the laser scanner 12, so that the scanning field is defined as a rectangle, radially or freely by the user, for example. Machine parts or other objects such as machine casings, etc. can be masked out or bypassed advantageously in this way.

[0026] A much better area can advantageously be covered laterally. For example, a person with his arm resting on the bale can be detected promptly. Another advantage is obtained due to the fact that the two-dimensional laser scanner 12 can be used as a collision monitor by rotating the stripping element 3. At the same time, the lateral distance of the stripping element 3 and/or the bale opener 1 from adjacent objects, walls, etc. can be reduced significantly because the scanning field can be maintained vertically downward.

[0027] Advantages of the method according to the invention include the fact that it is less expensive, more reliable and less susceptible to trouble than the approaches known from the prior art.

[0028] The invention also relates to a computer program product, which can be loaded directly into an internal memory of a bale opener and includes software code segments with which the process steps of the method according to the invention are carried out when the product is running on the bale opener.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0029] 1 Bale opener

[0030] 2 Stripping tower

[0031] 3 Stripping element

[0032] 4 Fiber bale

[0033] 5 Running gear

[0034] 6 Rail

[0035] 7 Application roller

[0036] 8 Axle

[0037] 9 Suction hood

[0038] 10 Transport channel

[0039] 11 Transport system

[0040] 12 Sensor, laser scanner

[0041] 13, 13.sub.1, 13.sub.2, 13.sub.3 Monitoring region