Person lifting devices with accessory detection features and methods for operating the same

A method for operating a person lifting device, the method comprising:

• detecting, with at least one coupling detector, an identification of an accessory coupling of an accessory attached to a lifting hook of a sling bar of the person lifting device;
• comparing, automatically with an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the at least one coupling detector, the identification of the accessory coupling with an array of one or more compatible accessory couplings associated with the lifting hook of the sling bar;
• and
• communicating, automatically with the electronic control unit, a warning signal indicative of the accessory coupling being improperly attached to the sling bar when the identification of the accessory coupling is not in the array of one or more compatible accessory couplings.

A person lifting device comprising:

• a lift actuator operatively connected to a sling bar, whereby the lift actuator raises and lowers the sling bar;
• at least one coupling detector;
• and
• an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the lift actuator and the at least one coupling detector, the electronic control unit comprising a processor and a computer readable and executable instruction set which, when executed by the processor:
• detects, automatically with the at least one coupling detector, an identification of an accessory coupling of an accessory attached to a lifting hook of the sling bar of the person lifting device;
• compares, automatically with the electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the at least one coupling detector, the identification of the accessory coupling with an array of one or more compatible accessory couplings associated with the lifting hook of the sling bar;
• and
• communicates, automatically with the electronic control unit, a warning signal indicative of the accessory coupling being improperly attached to the sling bar when the identification of the accessory coupling is not in the array of one or more compatible accessory couplings.

A person lifting device comprising:

• a lift actuator operatively connected to a sling bar, whereby the lift actuator raises and lowers the sling bar;
• at least one coupling detector;
• and
• an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the lift actuator and the at least one coupling detector, the electronic control unit comprising a processor and a computer readable and executable instruction set which, when executed by the processor:
• detects, with a first coupling detector, an identification of a first accessory coupling of an accessory attached to a first lifting hook of the sling bar of the person lifting device;
• determines, automatically with the electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the first coupling detector, a type of the first accessory coupling based on the identification of the first accessory coupling, wherein the type of the first accessory coupling is based on a predetermined attachment configuration for attaching the first accessory coupling to the sling bar;
• detects, with the first coupling detector, an identification of a second accessory coupling of the accessory attached to the first lifting hook of the sling bar of the person lifting device;
• determines, automatically with the electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the first coupling detector, a type of the second accessory coupling based on the identification of the second accessory coupling, wherein the type of the second accessory coupling is based on a predetermined attachment configuration for attaching the second accessory coupling to the sling bar;
• compares, with the electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the first coupling detector, the type of the first accessory coupling and the type of the second accessory coupling;
• and
• communicates, automatically with the electronic control unit, a warning signal indicating that the accessory is improperly attached to the sling bar when the type of the first accessory coupling and the type of the second accessory coupling are different.

A method for operating a person lifting device, the method comprising:

• capturing, with at least one coupling detector, an image of an accessory coupling of an accessory attached to a sling bar of the person lifting device;
• comparing, automatically with an electronic control unit communicatively coupled to the at least one coupling detector, the image of the accessory coupling with an image of a properly connected accessory coupling stored in a memory of the electronic control unit;
• and
• communicating, automatically with the electronic control unit, a warning signal when the image of the accessory coupling is different than the image of the properly connected accessory coupling.