Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – With particular system function
Patent
1995-12-21
1996-11-26
Crosland, Donnie L.
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
With particular system function
340507, 340515, 340533, 340538, 340661, 340664, 340635, 34031001, 34082506, 34082525, 381 58, 381 59, G08B 2900, H04R 2900
Patent
active
055789870
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus for monitoring if an audible alarm for warning of danger has been generated by an alarm device. More particularly the present invention relates to audible alarm generation monitoring technology suitable for cases where an alarm device operates at a remote location.
BACKGROUND ART
In cases for example at a factory and the like where several mechanical moving parts are started simultaneously, then if a worker is doing maintenance on even one of these, there is an extreme danger to the worker. Therefore, in the production areas of such factories, alarm devices are located in the vicinity of each of the mechanical moving parts to thereby minimize danger to workers when several of the parts are started together. These alarm devices are simultaneously driven by a drive operation from a command post and the like which is remote from the alarm devices, immediately before starting the mechanical moving pads, so that an audible alarm is generated to warn the worker of the impending start-up.
When the place where the alarm device is driven is remote from the alarm device itself however, there is a possibility that the generation of the audible alarm cannot be verified from the alarm device drive side. This situation wherein the drive operation is executed at the alarm device drive side to generate the audible alarm and start the mechanical moving part, without verification that the audible alarm has been sounded, can be extremely dangerous to workers at the work site. From a worker safety point of view it is therefore important to first verify that the audible alarm has been generated at the site of the mechanical moving part, before mechanical startup. A monitoring apparatus which can verify from the drive side that such an audible alarm has been generated thus becomes highly desirable.
The present inventors have already proposed in Japanese unpublished Patent Application No 5-275686, a technology for monitoring the drive condition of an alarm device. This technology involves a construction wherein, when safe, a non audible frequency drive current is supplied to an audible alarm generator such as a speaker, while when there is danger, an audible frequency drive current is supplied. The drive current flow is continually monitored, and the alarm device conditions are judged to be normal when a drive current is flowing. With this system however, it is not possible to confirm that an alarm sound which can be heard by workers in the danger area has actually been generated.
In view of the abovementioned situation, it is an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring apparatus for an alarm device, which is located at an alarm device drive side remote from the alarm device, and which can verify that an audible alarm is actually generated when the alarm device is driven.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a monitoring apparatus for an alarm device, where an alarm device side is situated remotely from an alarm device drive side, for monitoring from the alarm device drive side, the generation of an audible alarm at the alarm device side, said alarm device side including; an alarm device for generating an audible alarm, and an audible alarm generation sensing device for sensing an audible alarm generated by said alarm device and transmitting an audible alarm sensed output to said alarm device drive side within a predetermined time interval after the audible alarm has stopped, said alarm device drive side including; a power source connected through a feeder to said alarm device and audible alarm generation sensing device on the alarm device side, a drive switch disposed in a command lead connected in parallel with said feeder connecting the power source and alarm device, which is switched on to apply a command signal for audible alarm generation to said alarm device, a first verification device for verifying the generation of an audible alarm based on an audible alarm sensed output from
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Futsuhara Koichi
Sakai Masayoshi
XuYang Zhou
Crosland Donnie L.
The Nippon Signal Co. Ltd.
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