# US 10,945,887 B2 · Method and system for an accelerated reaction of darkening of the optical device in personal protective equipment

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- Number: US 10,945,887 B2
- Document ID: US10945887B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/779,082
- Filed: 2016-05-31
- Published: 2018-12-13
- Granted: 2021-03-16
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-07
- Assignees: Trafimet Group S.P.A.
- Applicants: Trafimet Group S.P.A
- Inventors: Robert Papp; Kristian Liptak; Ing. Robert Lauko
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945887B2

## CPC

- A61F 9/067: {with variable transmission}
- A41D 13/1184: {with protection for the eyes, e.g. using shield or visor}
- A61F 9/06: Masks, shields or hoods for welders
- B23K 9/173: and of a consumable electrode
- B23K 9/322: {Head protecting means}
- G02C 7/10: Filters, e.g. for facilitating adaptation of the eyes to the dark; Sunglasses
- A41D 2600/202: Welding
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00)

## Abstract

System has an optical sensor (1), an aperture with the optical element (2) with the changeable permeability and an activation light (3) emitting radiation, which is detected by the optical sensor (1). The activation light is connected with the switch (4) and it is placed within the reach of the optical sensor (1). Within a device which realizes the technological process with the luminous manifestation the instruction for the beginning of a given technological process is detected and on the basis of this instruction the activation light (3) lights up. This activates the optical sensor (1) by means of the activation light (3) before the optical sensor (1) detects the luminous manifestation of the technological process itself. The activation light (3) can be a simple infrared LED diode. The advantage lies in the fact that the protective device itself does not have to be modified in any way and its reaction time can be shortened to zero, or negative reaction time can be achieved since we use time passing during the initiation of the technological process before the appearance of the luminous manifestation for the darkening.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for an accelerated reaction of a darkening of an optical element (2) for protection from a luminous manifestation of a technological device configured to perform arc or laser welding or cutting or plasma cutting, the system comprising:
a protective device, the protective device being a welding helmet or a welding mask or a welding shield or welding goggles, and
a technological device configured to perform arc or laser welding or cutting or plasma cutting;
wherein the protective device comprises an optical sensor (1) for a detection of the luminous manifestation,
wherein the protective device comprises an optical element (2) with an adjustable permeability for a limitation of a permeation of a radiation from the luminous manifestation to a sight,
wherein the optical sensor (1) is connected with a control of the optical element (2), and
wherein the technological device comprises an activation light (3) configured to emit radiation which is detected by the optical sensor (1), whereby the activation light (3) is placed within a field of a vision of the optical sensor (1),
the technological device comprises a trigger which can be pressed to start the arc or laser welding or cutting or plasma cutting;
wherein
the technological device comprises a switch (4) connected with the trigger such that during the pressing of the trigger the switch (4) is pressed too,
the activation light (3) is connected to the switch (4), and
wherein controlling electronics (10) of the activation light (3) are part of a body of a welding gun (5) or it is a part of a connecting end of a tube and electric cables which connect the welding gun (5) with a welding source, whereby the controlling electronics (10) are connected with the activation light (3) by means of electric conductors which are at least in part of their length connected to a bunch of the tube and the electric cables.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the activation light (3) has at least one infrared LED diode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the system includes multiple LED diodes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the activation light (3) is part of a body which is adjusted for a connection to a welding gun (5), wherein the body carries an adjusting element, a power supply and the switch (4).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system according to claim 4 wherein the body is ring-shaped.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1, wherein the activation light (3) has an optical diffuser (8).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the technological device includes a generator (6) of a frequency of a power supply of the activation light (3), wherein the generator (6) is adjustable.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the technological device includes an adjustable element (7) for adjusting a delay of the activation light (3) relative to the switching of the switch (4).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the technological device includes an adjustment element for adjusting a period of shining of the activation light (3).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the technological device includes a second optical sensor (9) for the detection of the luminous manifestation, which is connected with a control of the activation light (3).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the switch (4) is a switch of a welding gun (5).

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the activation light (3) is a part of a body of a welding gun (5).

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein the system has at least one external activation light (32) which is connected with the controlling electronics (10) by a flexible cable.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system according to claim 1 wherein a power supply of the controlling electronics (10) and the activation light (3) has a battery or a rechargeable battery and/or a solar cell and/or an induction charger positioned adjacent to welding cables and/or an AC/DC adapter.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A method for an accelerated reaction of a darkening of an optical element (2) for protection from a luminous manifestation of a technological device configured to perform arc or laser welding or cutting or plasma cutting, by using the system of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of
pressing the trigger of said technological device,
the pressing of the trigger causing a pressing of the switch (4) causing the turning on of the activation light (3)
the activation light (3) causing activation of the optical sensor (1) before the optical sensor (1) detects the luminous manifestation.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 wherein the activation light (3) shines at least until a point where the optical sensor (1) detects the luminous manifestation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 wherein the activation light (3) shines for a preset time since it lights up.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 wherein the activation light (3) goes off after its control receives information about the detection of the luminous manifestation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 wherein the activation light (3) lights up 0.05 to 0.5 second before the creation of the luminous manifestation.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 wherein the activation light (3) emits the radiation with a wavelength between 700 and 1850 nm.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 wherein the activation light (3) shines with the frequency ranging from 5 to 250 Hz.

### Claim 22

A system for an accelerated reaction of a darkening of an optical element (2) for protection from a luminous manifestation of a technological device configured to perform arc or laser welding or cutting or plasma cutting, the system comprising:
a protective device, the protective device being a welding helmet or a welding mask or a welding shield or welding goggles, and
a technological device configured to perform arc or laser welding or cutting or plasma cutting;
wherein the protective device comprises an optical sensor (1) for a detection of the luminous manifestation,
wherein the protective device comprises an optical element (2) with an adjustable permeability for a limitation of a permeation of a radiation from the luminous manifestation to a sight,
wherein the optical sensor (1) is connected with a control of the optical element (2), and
wherein the technological device comprises an activation light (3) configured to emit radiation which is detected by the optical sensor (1), whereby the activation light (3) is placed within a field of a vision of the optical sensor (1),
the technological device comprises a trigger which can be pressed to start the arc or laser welding or cutting or plasma cutting;
wherein
the technological device comprises a switch (4) connected with the trigger such that during the pressing of the trigger the switch (4) is pressed too,
the activation light (3) is connected to the switch (4), and
the system further comprising a signal repeating element (11) which has a receiver of an optical signal of the activation light (3) and it has a transmitter in form of an activation light (33) to repeat the optical signal, whereby the signal repeating element (11) is adjusted for an independent placement in a vicinity of the optical sensor (1).
