Locking mechanism for fall protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11608649-B2
Application number	US-202016816461-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2020
Priority date	Mar 12, 2020
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A flip door assembly includes a flip door and an interlock that controls whether the flip door may be opened. A worker safety system in one embodiment includes a work stand, a safety barrier, and a flip door assembly. The flip door assembly selectively engages with a keyed portion of the safety barrier to prevent access to a defined area by a worker. The flip door assembly includes a flip door having a top surface that is substantially planar to a top surface of the work stand when closed, and substantially non-planar to the top surface of the work stand when open. The flip door assembly further includes an interlock that prevents the flip door from opening when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is disengaged from the interlock, and allows the flip door to open when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is engaged with the interlock.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A worker safety system comprising:
a work stand;
a safety barrier having a keyed portion; and
a flip door assembly of the work stand configured to selectively engage with the keyed portion of the safety barrier to prevent access to a defined area by a worker, the flip door assembly comprising:
a flip door rotatably connected to the work stand via at least one rotating member, and configured to pivot via the at least one rotating member between a closed position where a top surface of the flip door is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the work stand, and an open position where the top surface of the flip door forms an angle with the top surface of the work stand; and
an interlock configured to prevent the flip door from pivoting to the open position when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is disengaged from the interlock, and to allow the flip door to pivot to the open position when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is engaged with the interlock.

2. The worker safety system of claim 1 , wherein:
the defined area is proximate to an end of the work stand.

3. The worker safety system of claim 1 , wherein:
the interlock is configured to prevent the keyed portion of the safety barrier from being disengaged from the interlock when the flip door is in the open position.

4. The worker safety system of claim 1 , wherein the interlock comprises:
a receptacle configured to selectively engage with the keyed portion of the safety barrier;
a first rotatable member proximate to the receptacle;
a second rotatable member proximate to the first rotatable member;
a third member affixed to the flip door; and
a fourth member coupling the third member to the second member, wherein pivoting of the flip door causes rotation of the second rotatable member via the third member and the fourth member;
wherein the first rotatable member is configured to rotate to a first position, when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is not engaged with the receptacle, to interfere with rotation of the second rotatable member and prevent the flip door from pivoting to the open position.

5. The worker safety system of claim 4 , wherein:
the first rotatable member is configured to rotate to a second position, when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is engaged with the receptacle, so that the first rotatable member does not interfere with rotation of the second rotatable member allowing the flip door to pivot to the open position.

6. The worker safety system of claim 5 , wherein:
the second rotatable member interferes with rotation of the first rotatable member when the flip door is at the open position to prevent the keyed portion of the safety barrier from being removed from the receptacle.

7. The worker safety system of claim 6 , wherein:
the first rotatable member includes a cutout proximate to the receptacle that engages with the keyed portion of the safety barrier.

8. A method of operating a worker safety system in a manufacturing environment, the method comprising:
providing a work stand that includes a flip door assembly configured to selectively engage with a keyed portion of a safety barrier to prevent access to a defined area by a worker, wherein the flip door assembly comprises:
a flip door rotatably mounted to the work stand via at least one rotating member, and configured to pivot via the at least one rotating member between a closed position where a top surface of the flip door is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the work stand, and an open position where the top surface of the flip door forms an angle with the top surface of the work stand; and
an interlock configured to prevent the flip door from pivoting to the open position when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is disengaged from the interlock, and to allow the flip door to pivot to the open position when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is engaged with the interlock;

preventing the flip door from opening to the open position in response to the keyed portion of the safety barrier not being engaged with the interlock;
engaging the keyed portion of the safety barrier with the interlock; and
opening the flip door to the open position with the keyed portion of the safety barrier engaged with the interlock.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
preventing the keyed portion of the safety barrier from being disengaged from the interlock when the flip door is in the open position.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
moving the flip door to the closed position; and
removing the keyed portion of the safety barrier from the interlock.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the defined area is proximate to an end of the work stand.

12. A worker safety system for a manufacturing environment, the worker safety system comprising:
a work stand elevated above a floor with supports, and configured for a worker to perform a manufacturing process on a fuselage; and
a safety barrier;
the work stand comprising a walking surface and a flip door, wherein the flip door is configured to pivot in a first direction to a closed position where a top surface of the flip door is substantially coplanar with the walking surface, and to pivot in a second direction to an open position where the top surface of the flip door is not substantially coplanar with the walking surface;
the work stand further comprising an interlock configured to prevent the flip door from pivoting to the open position;
the safety barrier is configured to prevent access by the worker to an area of the flip door,
the safety barrier includes a keyed portion configured to engage with the interlock, and the interlock is configured to prevent the flip door from pivoting to the open position unless the keyed portion of the safety barrier is engaged with the interlock.

13. The worker safety system of claim 12 , wherein:
the interlock is configured to allow the flip door to pivot to the open position when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is engaged with the interlock.

14. The worker safety system of claim 12 , wherein:
the interlock is configured to prevent the keyed portion of the safety barrier from disengaging from the interlock when the flip door is in the open position.

15. The worker safety system of claim 12 , wherein the interlock comprises:
a receptacle configured to selectively engage with the keyed portion of the safety barrier;
a first rotatable member proximate to the receptacle, the first rotatable member is oriented in a first position when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is not engaged with the receptacle, and is oriented in a second position when the keyed portion of the safety barrier is engaged with the receptacle;
a second rotatable member proximate to the first rotatable member;
a third member affixed to the flip door; and
a fourth member coupling the third member to the second member, wherein pivoting of the flip door causes rotation of the second rotatable member via the third member and the fourth member;
wherein the first rotatable member oriented in the first position interferes with rotation of the second rotatable member to prevent the flip door from pivoting to the open position.

16. The worker safety system of claim 15 , wherein:
the first rotatable member oriented in the second position does not interfere with rotation of the second rotatable member allowing the flip door to pivot to the open position.

17. The worker safety system of claim 15 , wherein:
when the first rotatable member is oriented in the second

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Hammond James F
• Dehart Kory K
• Orozco Leopold

Classifications

• B66F11/04

  for movable platforms or cabins, e.g. on vehicles, permitting workmen to place themselves in any desired position for carrying out required operations ({Working platforms on fork-lift trucks B66F9/127; } vehicle aspects of service vehicles B60P3/14; platforms for cleaning windows A47L3/02; devices for rescuing persons from buildings A62B1/02; liftable or lowerable platforms for use on ladders E06C7/16; maintenance travellers for bridges E01D19/10; scaffolds on an extensible sub-structure E04G1/22) · CPC title

• B66F17/006

  for working platforms · CPC title

• E04G5/001 Primary

  Safety or protective measures against falling down relating to scaffoldings (E04G5/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title

• E04G1/00

  Scaffolds primarily resting on the ground · CPC title