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US 10,376,434 B2Granted
Person lift devices and scale assemblies for person lift devices including accessory tracking features
AssigneeLiko Research & Developmetn AB
InventorsMattias Andersson, Andreas Bolin, Marica Demby, Peter Rydstrom, Douglas A. Seim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the embodiments described herein, the scale assembly automatically determines if an accessory, such as a sling, is properly connected to a sling bar of the person lifting device and, if the accessory is not properly connected, the scale assembly provides a user with a visual and/or audible warning and, in some embodiments, may lock-out the actuation controls of the person lifting device to prevent the person lifting device from being used.
Claims13
A method of operating a scale assembly for a person lifting device, the method comprising:
- detecting an identification of a sling bar with an accessory detector of the scale assembly;
- detecting an identification of an accessory with at least one of the accessory detector and a coupling detector of the scale assembly;
- detecting a force applied to the scale assembly with at least one force sensor positioned at least partially within an outer housing, wherein the at least one force sensor is coupled to and positioned between an upper member and a lower member of the scale assembly;
- comparing the identification of the accessory with an array of one or more compatible accessories associated with the identification of the sling bar, automatically with an electronic control unit that is communicatively coupled to at least one of the accessory detector and the coupling detector;
- communicating a warning signal when the identification of the accessory is not in the array of one or more compatible accessories, automatically with the electronic control unit;
- detecting an identification of an accessory coupling member of the accessory attached to a lifting hook of the sling bar with the coupling detector;
- comparing the identification of the accessory coupling member with an array of one or more compatible accessory coupling members associated with the lifting hook of the sling bar automatically with the electronic control unit;
- and
- communicating a warning signal when the identification of the accessory coupling member is not in the array of one or more compatible accessory coupling members, automatically with the electronic control unit.
6 more elements
A scale assembly system for use with a person lifting device, the system comprising:
- an outer housing;
- an upper member;
- an upper coupling coupled to the upper member and selectively coupled to the person lifting device;
- a lower member positioned below the upper member in a vertical direction;
- a lower coupling coupled to the lower member and selectively coupled to a sling bar;
- at least one force sensor coupled to and positioned between the upper member and the lower member in the vertical direction, wherein the at least one force sensor is positioned at least partially within the outer housing;
- an accessory detector;
- a coupling detector;
- and
- an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the accessory detector, the at least one force sensor, and the coupling detector, the electronic control unit comprising a processor and a computer readable and executable instruction set, which when executed by the processor:
- detects a force applied the scale assembly with the at least one force sensor;
- detects an identification of the sling bar with the accessory detector;
- detects an identification of an accessory with at least one of the accessory detector and the coupling detector;
- compares the identification of the accessory with an array of one or more compatible accessories associated with the identification of the sling bar, automatically with the electronic control unit;
- communicates a warning signal when the identification of the accessory is not in the array of one or more compatible accessories, automatically with the electronic control unit;
- detects an identification of an accessory coupling member of the accessory attached to a lifting hook of the sling bar with the coupling detector;
- compares the identification of the accessory coupling member with an array of one or more compatible accessory coupling members associated with the lifting hook of the sling bar automatically with the electronic control unit;
- and
- communicates a warning signal when the identification of the accessory coupling member is not in the array of one or more compatible accessory coupling members, automatically with the electronic control unit.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.