Electrical safety apparatus and arrangement for mobile machinery

Abstract

Electrical safety apparatus for mobile machinery. Apparatus broadly comprises at least one sensor module, which has i) an E-field sensor plate configured to sample an E-field voltage gradient by means of capacitive coupling with an E-field proximate the sensor module; ii) a sensor processor arranged in signal communication with the sensor plate and configured to a. apply frequency discrimination to the voltage gradient; b. if the frequency discrimination satisfies a predetermined frequency range, apply amplitude discrimination to the frequency discriminated signal; and c. if the amplitude discrimination satisfies a predetermined amplitude threshold, generate a limiting signal. Sensor module also includes iii) a transmitter arranged in signal communication with the sensor processor and configured to transmit the limiting signal, and iv) an energizing arrangement configured to provide electrical energy to the sensor processor and transmitter. Apparatus also includes a controller having i) a receiver for receiving the limiting signal; ii) a memory arrangement; and iii) a controller processor arranged in signal communication with the receiver and memory arrangement and configured to interface with, and control, an existing control system of the mobile machinery in accordance with the limiting signal to only allow movement of the machinery, which, when the limiting signal is generated, reduces the sampled E-field voltage below the predetermined amplitude threshold, the controller processor further configured to log details of the limiting signal and associated control in the memory arrangement for forensic purposes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.