Power tool operator protection system and method
AssigneeHusqvarna AB
InventorAlbin Hagberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power tool operator protection system comprises a plurality of wearable position sensors configured to be worn by an operator of a handheld power tool; a power tool position sensor configured to detect the position of a handheld power tool; and processing equipment configured to generate a model of the operator based on the mutual positions of the respective wearable sensors relative to each other, the mutual positions defining the operator's posture; associate each of a plurality of limbs (32a-g) of the operator with a respective protection volume (30a-g); and based on the position and/or motion of the power tool in relation to the protection volume (30a-g) indicating an imminent danger that the working implement enters a protection volume (30a-g), generate a protection signal.
Claims20
A power tool operator protection system comprising
- a plurality of wearable position sensors configured to be worn by an operator of a handheld power tool;
- a power tool position sensor configured to detect the position of a handheld power tool;
- and
- processing equipment configured to:
- receive position data from the wearable position sensors and the power tool position sensor;
- based on the position data received from the wearable position sensors, generate a model of the operator, the model representing the operator's posture and being based on the mutual positions of the respective wearable sensors relative to each other;
- associate each limb of a plurality of limbs of the operator, as represented by the model, with a respective protection volume;
- based on the position data received from the power tool position sensor, determine a position of a working implement of the power tool;
- and
- based on the position and/or motion of the power tool in relation to the protection volume indicating an imminent danger that the working implement enters a boundary of the protection volume, generate a protection signal,
- wherein the boundary of each protection volume is defined by a radius measured from a longitudinal centerline of the protection volume.
A method of protecting an operator of a handheld power tool from injury, the method comprising:
- receiving position data from wearable position sensors worn by the operator;
- receiving position data from a power tool position sensor;
- based on the position data received from the wearable position sensors, generating a model of the operator, the model representing the operator's posture and being based on the mutual positions of the respective wearable sensors relative to each other;
- associating each limb of a plurality of limbs of the operator, as represented by the model, with a respective protection volume;
- based on the position data received from the power tool position sensor, determining a position of a working implement of the power tool;
- and
- based on the position and/or motion of the power tool in relation to the protection volume indicating an imminent danger that the working implement enters a boundary of the protection volume, generating a protection signal,
- wherein the boundary of each protection volume is defined by a radius measured from a longitudinal centerline of the protection volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.