Operator Presence Detection in Skid Steer Loaders

Manufacturer’s of Skid steer loaders know that versatility and small size make these some of the most common pieces of equipment on the jobsite. They also know that operators will take these machines to the limit and so safety protocols and sensors are key to avoiding accidental property damage, unwanted downtime, or even serious personal injury to the operator.

In addition to seat belts and roll protection, most loaders feature seat bars or operator presence detection for when the operator leaves the seat.  John Deere for example uses a triple-Interlock Operator-Presence System. This system automatically applies the brakes when the lap bar is raised, the operator leaves the seat, or the engine is shut down.

Whatever the configuration of your backhoe loader, safety systems are your primary concern and CPI has sensors, that are perfect for operator presence applications in demanding vehicular environments.

Safety Switch Solutions for Operator presence Detection

CPI has provided a number of different waterproof switches into safety applications where the end result was detection of an operator in the control position. Just some ways in which our switches have been used include:

1. Seated Operator Detection – a very common application for our E1 waterproof Limit switch is in “operator-in-seat” type applications on skid steer loaders, lawn mowers, combines, tractors, you name it. Commonly employed here is our E1115 a robust limit switch with a simulated lever actuator. Completely made of high-grade stainless steel it is truly waterproof and completely customizable per electrical parameters such as button travel height and current ratings
2. Safety Handle down Detection – Another common safety system on Skid steer loaders is the safety bar that comes down as a secondary indicator of operator presence. CPI has been designed into these applications too, using our E1127 simulated roller switch for its high durability under vibration, exceeding over 1 million cycles of electromechanical endurance.
3. Pedal Switches– This application is similar in use to handle mounted where release of the pedal constitutes an emergency event on trains or forklifts. The CPI switch is ideal for these applications due to its small form factor and extremely high reliability and durability.
4. Touch Sensor backup switch– Capacitive touch sensor switches detect a driver’s hand except where the driver needs gloves or their hands are too dirty, the sensor fails. In those cases a backup dead man’s switch is provided that can use our standard, high reliability, E1 Safety Limit Switch.

A Common Set of Characteristics for Safety Applications

Whatever your safety application, CPI E1 Series Waterproof Limit switches with their many versatile mounting configurations embody characteristics manufacturers love in this application.

1. Small form factor for tight spaces.
2. Truly waterproof, not splash proof or water resistant.
3. The basic sealed switch can go into dozens of mounting and actuator configurations including roller mounting, pipe mount, simulated roller, flush mount, pcb mount and custom variations.
4. Extreme electromechanical endurance. Our basic switch has been tested to 5 million cycles.
5. Customizable travel and electrical parameters.
6. Made in the USA.

For more information on use of our E1 switches in your safety switch or operator presence detection application, call CPI today or visit https://cpi-nj.com .

Content originally posted on: https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/operator-presence-detection-in-skid-steer-loaders/