Patent ID: 6275152
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
Apparatus for sensing completeness of a human operator's selection of components from sources of said components in a manufacturing, or assembly operation, comprising:a frame;a plurality of light sources supported by said frame for emitting beams of light defining a plane for placement between the operator and the sources of said components such that the operator must break said plane to access the sources of said components, at least one sensor associated with each light source and supported by said frame such that said sensor detects physical interruption of said light beam by the operator when the operator breaks said plane by accessing said source of components;wherein each of said light sources and its associated at least one sensor is assigned to a specific penetration zone representing a segment of said plane such that the interruption of the light beam corresponding to each of said light sources and its associated at least one sensor occurs when the source behind said penetration zone is accessed by the operator;wherein the size of each of said penetration zones is adjustable; anda programmable logic controller (PLC) connected to each said sensor for receiving signals therefrom each time one of said light beams is interrupted by the operator's accessing one of said sources, said PLC further comparing said signals to information recorded in the PLC as to the correctness of accessing each source and signaling the operator when the operator has made an error in accessing a source.