Voltage and current alert system for aerial device
AssigneeAltec Industries, Inc.
InventorJesse Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A voltage and current alert system and method for an aerial vehicle including an extendable boom member is disclosed. The system and method include voltage and current sensors disposed throughout the aerial vehicle. The system and method further include components for conversion of the alert signal from a digital signal to a fiber optic signal, therein decreasing the power requirements of the system as well as allowing the signal to bypass a dielectric gap. The system further may shutdown operation of the aerial vehicle upon a detection event.
Claims20
An aerial device, comprising:
- a boom configured to be attached to a base at a first end;
- a platform attached to the boom at a second end;
- one or more voltage and current sensors disposed on one or more of the boom and the platform;
- a controller operatively connected to the boom and the one or more voltage and current sensors;
- and
- an alarm subsystem operatively connected to the controller,
- wherein the alarm subsystem is configured to receive a fiber optic signal from the controller upon detection, by the one or more voltage and current sensors, of a voltage or a current that is above a predetermined threshold and wherein a source of the voltage or the current is at or below a threshold allowable distance from the one or more voltage and current sensors,
- wherein upon receiving the fiber optic signal, the alarm subsystem alerts one or more users of the detection of the voltage or current.
A voltage and current alert system configured to detect proximity of an energized part near a boom of an aerial device, the system comprising:
- a controller operatively connected to the boom and one or more voltage and current sensors disposed on the aerial device, said one or more voltage and current sensors configured to send a digital signal upon a detection event to the controller,
- wherein the controller determines if a measured distance of the energized part from the aerial device is above a threshold allowable distance;
- a fiber optic low power (FOCL) conversion hardware operatively connected to the controller, said FOCL conversion hardware configured to convert the digital signal to a fiber optic signal;
- and
- an alert subsystem operatively connected to the FOCL conversion hardware, said alert subsystem configured to receive the fiber optic signal and alert one or more users of the aerial device of the detection event.
A voltage and current alert system, the system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media having a computer program stored thereon for alerting one or more users of an aerial device, wherein the computer program instructs the processor to perform actions comprising:
- receiving a startup signal from one or more components of the aerial device;
- monitoring for a voltage or a current from an energized part via one or more sensors disposed on the aerial device;
- detecting the voltage or the current from the energized part via the one or more sensors;
- determining whether a measured voltage or a measured current is above a threshold voltage or a threshold current, respectively;
- determining if a measured distance of the energized part from the aerial device is above a threshold allowable distance;
- converting a digital signal from the one or more sensors to a fiber optic low power (FOCL) signal via a FOCL conversion hardware, wherein the FOCL signal is configured to pass through a dielectric gap;
- and
- alerting the one or more users via an alert subsystem.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.