Fall protection equipment connection status and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12201858-B2
Application number	US-201816495330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2018
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

Techniques are described for monitoring and controlling fall protection equipment. For example, the techniques of this disclosure may be used to monitor the connection status of fall protection equipment, e.g., whether or not the fall protection equipment is connected to a support structure. The techniques of this disclosure may also be used to control the operation of the fall protection equipment based on the connection status.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fall-protection device comprising:
a first article of fall protection equipment;
a memory configured to store data that indicates whether the first article of fall protection equipment is connected to at least one support structure; and
one or more processors configured to communicate with the memory and configured to:
determine, based on the data, that the first article of fall protection equipment is connected to the at least one support structure, the first article of fall protection equipment being included in a set of fall protection equipment that comprises a second article of fall protection equipment;
determine that the first article of fall protection equipment is the only article of fall protection equipment in the set of fall protection equipment that is connected to the at least one support structure; and
perform, based on determining that the first article of fall protection equipment is the only article of fall protection equipment that is connected to the at least one support structure, at least one operation;
wherein to perform the at least one operation, the one or more processors are configured to actuate, based on determining that the first article of fall protection equipment is the only article of fall protection equipment that is connected to the at least one support structure, a lock of the first article of fall protection equipment to impede the first article of fall protection equipment from being disconnected from the at least one support structure;
wherein the first article of fall protection equipment comprises a carabiner or snap hook comprising:
a body that at least partially defines an area of attachment for attachment of the body to the at least one support structure so that the first article of fall protection equipment is connected to the at least one support structure; and
a moveable gate connected to the body and comprising a closed position that prevents access to the area of attachment, the movable gate being pivotally inwardly movable from the closed position toward the area of attachment into an open position that provides access to the area of attachment for connection of the first article of fall protection equipment to the at least one support structure;
 and wherein the lock of the first article of fall protection equipment is configured so that when the lock is actuated, the lock is in a locked condition in which the lock causes the movable gate of the first article of fall protection equipment to be unable to pivotally inwardly move from the closed position to the open position.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein to perform the at least one operation, the one or more processors are additionally configured to generate an alert that indicates that the first article of fall protection equipment is the only article of fall protection equipment that is connected to the at least one support structure.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein to generate the alert, the one or more processors are configured to generate, by the first article of fall protection equipment, an audible alert, a visual alert, and/or a tactile alert.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein to generate the alert, the one or more processors are configured to generate an electronic message that indicates that the first article of fall protection equipment is the only article of fall protection equipment that is connected to the at least one support structure.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the lock of the first article of fall protection equipment is an electromechanically-actuated lock.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the electromechanically-actuated lock comprises a solenoid.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the electromechanically-actuated lock comprises a manual override that is configured to allow a user to manually release the electromechanically-actuated lock from the locked condition to an unlocked condition in which the lock allows the movable gate to pivotally inwardly move from the closed position to the open position.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein to determine that the first article of fall protection equipment is connected to the at least one support structure, the one or more processors are configured to:
determine that the gate of the first article of fall protection equipment has opened;
determine that the at least one support structure is disposed within the area of attachment of the first article of fall protection equipment; and
determine that the gate of the first article of fall protection equipment has closed.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein to actuate the lock, the one or more processors are configured to generate a signal for actuating the lock and transmit the signal to the first article of fall protection equipment.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the lock comprises a tertiary locking mechanism of the first article of fall protection equipment.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises the second article of fall protection equipment and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
after actuating the lock of the first article of fall protection equipment, determine that the second article of fall protection equipment is connected to the at least one support structure; and
based on determining that the first article of fall protection equipment and the at least one second article of fall protection equipment are connected to the at least one support structure, release the lock of the first article of fall protection equipment from the locked condition to an unlocked condition that allows the movable gate of the first article of fall protection equipment to pivotally inwardly move from the closed position to the open position.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the device further comprises a safety harness that is configured to be worn by a human user and to which the first article of fall protection equipment and the second article of fall protection equipment are connected.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the first article of fall protection equipment comprises a first lanyard and the second article of fall protection equipment comprises a second lanyard.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the first and second lanyards are first and second self-retracting lanyards.

15. The device of claim 12 wherein the device is configured so that the human user of the device will maintain at least one connection to the at least one support structure throughout a time that the human user is working at an elevated height.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Perner Judd J
• Jesme Ronald D
• Rasmussen Travis W

Classifications

• F16B45/028

  the position-locking means being pivotally connected · CPC title

• F16B45/023

  the closing member pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the hook · CPC title

• G08B21/02

  Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons · CPC title

• A62B35/0081

  Equipment which can travel along the length of a lifeline, e.g. travelers · CPC title

• A62B35/0037

  Attachments for lifelines and lanyards (lifelines, lanyards A62B35/0043) · CPC title