Aerial lift interlocked with fall-protection safety apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428278-B2
Application number	US-202218569273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2022
Priority date	Jul 2, 2021
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

An aerial lift that is interlocked with a fall-protection safety apparatus and may be further interlocked with at least one additional safety apparatus. The aerial lift is equipped with a monitoring system that is configured to detect whether a connector of a safety line of the fall-protection apparatus appears to be connected to a safety harness of a user of the aerial lift.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial lift comprising:
a fall-protection safety apparatus installed on the aerial lift and comprising a safety line with a distal end comprising a connector configured to be connected to a safety harness worn by a user of the aerial lift, the aerial lift comprising a fall-protection monitoring system configured to determine whether the connector of the safety line appears to be connected to the safety harness of the user and the aerial lift comprising at least one additional safety apparatus in addition to the fall-protection safety apparatus;
wherein the aerial lift is interlocked with the fall-protection safety apparatus and with the at least one additional safety apparatus of the aerial lift so that in order for at least a vertical-motion function of the aerial lift to be enabled, control circuitry of the aerial lift must receive at least one first positive signal from the fall-protection monitoring system indicating at least that the connector of the safety line appears to be connected to the safety harness of the user; and, the control circuitry of the aerial lift must receive at least one additional positive signal from the at least one additional safety apparatus of the aerial lift indicating that the at least one additional safety apparatus of the aerial lift is in a ready condition;
wherein the fall-protection monitoring system comprises a base unit and comprises at least one sensor module mounted on the connector and configured to sense whether the connector appears to be connected to the safety harness and to transmit connector status information to the base unit that is indicative of whether the connector appears to be connected to the safety harness; and
wherein the base unit is configured to receive the connector status information from the at least one sensor module and to send the at least one first positive signal to the control circuitry of the aerial lift if the connector status information received from the at least one sensor module indicates that the connector appears to be connected to the harness and to not send any first positive signal to the control circuitry of the aerial lift if the connector status information received from the at least one sensor module indicates that the connector does not appear to be connected to the harness.

2. The aerial lift of claim 1 wherein the at least one additional safety apparatus of the aerial lift comprises an operator presence control (OPC) switch that is configured so that when the OPC switch is in a condition indicative of active control of the aerial lift by the user of the lift, the OPC switch sends a primary additional positive signal indicating that the OPC switch is in a ready condition.

3. The aerial lift of claim 2 wherein the at least one additional safety apparatus of the aerial lift further comprises a safety gate apparatus comprising at least a first safety gate that is configured to be moved between a stowed position and a protective position;
wherein when the first safety gate is in its protective position it is disposed generally above a first lateral edge of the operator-support platform,
wherein the safety gate apparatus is configured to send a secondary additional positive signal that the safety gate apparatus is in a ready condition when at least the first safety gate is in its protective position,
and wherein in order for at least the vertical-motion function of the aerial lift to be enabled, the at least one first positive signal must be received from the fall-protection monitoring system, the primary additional positive signal must be received from the OPC switch, and the secondary additional positive signal must be received from the safety gate apparatus.

4. The aerial lift of claim 2 wherein the at least one additional safety apparatus of the aerial lift further comprises an operator authorization safety apparatus, and wherein in order for at least the vertical-motion function of the aerial lift to be enabled, the at least one first positive signal must be received from the fall-protection monitoring system, the primary additional positive signal must be received from the OPC switch, and a tertiary additional positive signal must be received from the operator authorization safety apparatus.

5. The aerial lift of claim 1 wherein the fall-protection safety apparatus comprises a self-retracting lifeline (SRL) comprising a housing, with a proximal end of the safety line of the fall-protection safety apparatus being connected to a drum that is within the housing of the SRL and is rotatably connected to the housing of the SRL and with the safety line being extendable out of the housing and retractable into the housing; and, wherein the housing of the SRL is attached to an overhead guard of the aerial lift, the overhead guard of the aerial lift being positioned generally vertically overhead of an operator-support platform of the aerial lift.

6. The aerial lift of claim 1 wherein the fall-protection monitoring system is configured to perform at least one self-check of at least one component of the fall-protection monitoring system and wherein the base unit is configured so that if the self-check indicates that the at least one component of the fall-protection monitoring system appears to be in a ready condition, the base unit will send at least one supplemental first positive signal, and wherein the control circuitry of the aerial lift is configured so that it must receive the at least one supplemental first positive signal from the fall-protection monitoring system in order for at least the vertical-motion function of the aerial lift to be enabled.

7. The aerial lift of claim 6 wherein the fall-protection monitoring system is configured to perform self-checks of first, second and third components of the fall-protection monitoring system and wherein the base unit is configured so that if the self-checks indicate that the first, second and third components of the fall-protection monitoring system all appear to be in a ready condition, the base unit will send three supplemental first positive signals, and wherein the control circuitry of the aerial lift is configured so that it must receive all three supplemental first positive signals from the fall-protection monitoring system for at least the vertical-motion function of the aerial lift to be enabled;
and, wherein the first self-checked component of the fall-protection monitoring system is the sensor module, the second self-checked component of the fall-protection monitoring system is the base unit, and the third self-checked component of the fall-protection monitoring system is at least one internal battery that powers at least the sensor module.

8. The aerial lift of claim 7 wherein the first self-checked component of the fall-protection monitoring system is the sensor module, the second self-checked component of the fall-protection monitoring system is the base unit, and the third self-checked component of the fall-protection monitoring system is the at least one internal battery that powers at least the sensor module.

9. The aerial lift of claim 1 wherein the fall-protection monitoring system is configured so that if the base unit of the fall-protection monitoring system receives connector status information from the at least one sensor module indicating that the connector appears to be connected to the harness, the fall-protection monitoring system will broadcast at least one Ready notification indicating that the connector appears to be connected to the harness, in addition to sending the at least one first positive signal to the control circuitry of the aerial lift.

10. The aerial lift of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry of the aerial lift is configured

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Lepp Jonathan J
• Reineke Christopher J
• Mikes Kristin M
• Medeiros Donaldo J
• Keacher Jeffrey T
• Hinkle Aline H
• Higgins Christopher M
• Lopez-Hidalgo Heidi A
• Henn Tyler B
• Carlson Lauren K
• Weiss michael t

Classifications

• B66F17/006

  for working platforms · CPC title

• B66F11/046

  of the telescoping type · CPC title

• A62B35/0093

  Fall arrest reel devices · CPC title

• A62B35/0075

  Details of ropes or similar equipment, e.g. between the secured person and the lifeline or anchor · CPC title

• A62B35/0068

  Anchors · CPC title