End of service life determination for personal protective equipment
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsPrashant Verma, Raj Kamal Prasad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments generally relate to personal protective equipment (PPE) (such as gloves, shoes/boots, hoods, protective clothing, etc.) for industrial applications. More specifically, the invention relates to using magnetic particles (e.g. incorporated within or attached/affixed to the PPE) so that a magnetic scan may be run to determine a change (e.g. decrease) in initial magnetic field signature (MFS) for the PPE). The change in MFS is used to determine end of service life of the PPE (such that the protective equipment should be retired or repaired).
Claims19
An end of service life determination (ESLD) system comprising:
- a personal protective equipment (PPE);
- a processor of a handheld device of a user;
- and
- a test rig configured to communicate with the processor of the handheld device;
- wherein:
- the test rig further comprises one or more magnetic sensors;
- the PPE further comprises:
- magnetic particles;
- an identifier element or a wireless communication element;
- wherein:
- the magnetic particles are incorporated within or attached to the PPE;
- and
- the identifier element or the wireless communication element is attached to the PPE;
- and
- the processor is configured to receive a current magnetic field signature (MFS) sensor data of the PPE from the test rig and compare the current MFS sensor data with initial MFS associated with the PPE to determine whether the PPE has reached its end of service life, wherein the initial MFS is measured by the test rig.
A method of forming a personal protective equipment (PPE) with an initial magnetic field signature (MFS), comprising:
- blending magnetic particles into a polymeric compound;
- incorporating the polymeric compound with magnetic particles into the PPE, the PPE comprising an identifier element or a wireless communication element;
- placing the PPE into a test rig, wherein the test rig comprises one or more magnetic sensors;
- and
- determining, via the test rig, the initial MFS of the PPE, wherein the test rig is configured to transmit the initial MFS of the PPE to a processor of a handheld device for storage.
A method of determining an end of service life for a personal protective equipment (PPE), the method comprising:
- retrieving, by a processor of a handheld device, an initial magnetic field signature (MFS) for magnetic particles within the PPE, wherein the PPE comprises an identifier element or a wireless communication element;
- placing the PPE into a test rig, wherein the test rig comprises one or more magnetic sensors;
- determining, by the test rig, the current MFS of the PPE;
- receiving, by the processor, the current MFS from the test rig;
- and
- evaluating, by the processor, a service life of the PPE or determining, by the processor, whether the PPE has reached its end of service life.
A personal protective equipment (PPE) device comprising:
- magnetic particles;
- and
- an identifier element or a wireless communication element;
- wherein:
- the magnetic particles are incorporated within or attached to the PPE;
- and
- the identifier element or the wireless communication element is attached to the PPE, wherein the PPE has a magnetic field signature (MFS) for the magnetic particles, and wherein an end of service life of the PPE is determined based on the MFS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.