Insulator apparatus and method for monitoring

A method for monitoring an insulator apparatus (10), the insulator apparatus (10) having a manipulation chamber (12) with sensor means (16), an operator (50) accessing the manipulation chamber (12) with at least one work glove (14) through at least one access opening (18) or the operator inserting the at least one work glove (14) into the access opening (18) to seal the manipulation chamber (12), the sensor means (16) being disposed at a distance to the access opening (18) in the manipulation chamber (12) and being connected to a detection unit (20), the method comprising the following steps:

• directing a detection area (22) of the sensor means (16) towards at least one operating area of the at least one work glove (14) in the area of the access opening (18), the sensor means (16) being formed as at least one radar sensor (24) and the at least one radar sensor (24) being disposed in the manipulation chamber (24) such that and/or a radar signal being generated by selecting a suitable wavelength, such that a radiation cone (30) of the radar sensor (24), having at least one radar antenna and at least one transmitting antenna, covers at least the operating area of the work gloves (14) in the area of the access opening (18), and the radiation cone (30) of the at least one radar sensor (24) being directed towards at least two work gloves (14),
• detecting reflected sensor signals and evaluating the sensor signals by means of the detection unit (20), the radiation cone (30) being divided into at least a first and a second detection area (22a, 22b) for evaluation by means of the detection unit (20) using filter means in order to allocate reflected radar signals to individual work gloves (14),
• detecting an inserting and/or operating movement of the at least one work glove (14), with respect to a reference position of the work glove (14) and/or with respect to an object-free detection of the operating area, and/or a deviation from a passive movement pattern.