Fall-protection system with monitoring system
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsLauren K. Carlson, Scott E. Brigham, Christopher W. Coyle, Heidi A. Lopez-Hidalgo, Jonathan J. Lepp, Stephen D. Shaver, Jeffrey T. Keacher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fall-protection system including a harness and a fall-protection apparatus with a lifeline bearing a connector configured to be connected to the harness; and, a fall-protection monitoring system with a base unit and with at least one sensor module configured to sense a condition of the connector and to communicate a signal indicative of the condition of the connector to the base unit.
Claims29
A fall-protection system comprising:
- a harness configured to be worn by a human user and a fall-protection apparatus comprising a lifeline bearing a connector configured to be connected to the harness;
- and,
- a fall-protection monitoring system comprising a base unit and comprising at least one sensor module configured to sense a condition of the connector and to communicate a signal indicative of the condition of the connector to the base unit,
- wherein the base unit is configured to emit a first notification if a first signal is received from the sensor module indicative of a first condition of the connector, and to emit a second, different notification if a second, different signal is received from the sensor module indicative of a second, different condition of the connector;
- wherein the sensor module comprises at least one first sensor that is an inductive sensor;
- wherein the connector is a gated connector and wherein the sensor module comprises at least one second sensor that is a gate sensor configured to detect whether the gate of the gated connector is in a secured condition or an unsecured condition, the at least one second, gate sensor being a Hall-effect sensor that is configured to detect a magnetic beacon that is installed in a portion of the gate of the gated connector;
- wherein the gated connector is a double-action connector in which the gate comprises a locking mechanism that must be unlocked in order for the gate to be opened, and wherein the magnetic beacon is installed in the locking mechanism of the gate;
- and
- wherein the at least one first, inductive sensor exhibits a power consumption that is greater than a power consumption exhibited by the at least one second, Hall-effect gate sensor by a factor of at least ten;
- and, wherein the sensor module is configured to maintain the first, inductive sensor in an inactive state until a signal is received from the second, Hall-effect gate sensor that a change in the status of the gate has been detected.
A gated hook comprising a sensor module configured to sense a condition of the gated hook, the sensor module comprising:
- at least one first sensor that is an inductive sensor configured to detect whether a metal item is present within an opening of the gated hook;
- and,
- at least one second, gate sensor that is configured to determine whether the gate of the hook is in a secured or unsecured condition;
- wherein the sensor module is configured to maintain the first, inductive sensor in an inactive state and, if a signal is received from the second, gate sensor that a change in the condition of the gate has been detected, to activate the first, inductive sensor for a selected period of time;
- and,
- wherein the sensor module is configured so that if the second, gate sensor detects that the gate is secured, and if, during the selected period of time, the first, inductive sensor has detected a metal item within the opening of the connector, the sensor module issues a signal indicating a Ready condition of the gated hook.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.