Safety arrangement for systems having parts spatially moved

Claim 1

A manipulation or driverless transportation device comprising at least one electrical switch means, electrical control means, and means connecting said switch means to said control means, said switch means being arranged at those locations on said device where said switch means is actuated, upon collision of said device and contact of said switch means with a person or object, to cause said control means to shut off the movement of said device or initiate an emergency operation program causing a sequence of movements opposite to the direction of said collision, said switch means comprising at least one planar laminate on the surfaces of those parts of said device which will contact said person or object upon collison therewith, said laminate comprising a continuous layer of a normally electrically insulating plastic material which becomes electrically conductive upon being compressed, a continuous, electrically conductive layer contiguous to each of the opposite surfaces of said normally electrically insulating plastic material layer, and a deformable layer for receiving impact energy and extending along the side of one of said electrically conductive layers opposite said normally electrically insulating plastic material layer, whereby said switch means may be actuated and an electrical circuit may be closed upon compression of said laminate at any and all points therealong.