Personal protective equipment system having analytics engine with integrated monitoring, alerting, and predictive safety event avoidance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12488261-B2
Application number	US-202117302214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2021
Priority date	Jun 23, 2016
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

In some examples, a system includes an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors configured to generate usage data that is indicative of an operation of the article of PPE; and at least one computing device comprising a memory and one or more computer processors that: receive the usage data that is indicative of the operation of the article of PPE; apply the usage data to a safety learning model that predicts a likelihood of an occurrence of a safety event associated with the article of PPE based at least in part on previously generated usage data that corresponds to the safety event; and perform, based at least in part on predicting the likelihood of the occurrence of the safety event, at least one operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A personal protective equipment system for a worker, the personal protective equipment system comprising:
a head top configured to at least partially encompass the worker's head and defining an interior sealable space that is sealable from air external to the head top, the head top comprising a visor that is sized to fit over at least the worker's eyes, nose, and mouth, wherein the visor is configured to expose the interior sealable space defined by the head top to the air external to the head top when the visor is in an open position and is configured to seal the interior sealable space defined by the head top from the air external to the head top when the visor is in a closed position in which the visor is positioned in front of at least the worker's eyes, nose, and mouth, and a position sensor that senses whether the visor is in an open or closed position; a wearable powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) connected to the head top for supplying clean air to the interior sealable space defined by the head top, wherein the PAPR includes a blower configured to force the clean air to the head top; a hose configured to connect the PAPR to the head top to provide the clean air to the head top; a temperature sensor coupled to at least one of the head top or the PAPR, the temperature sensor being configured to measure a temperature of ambient air inside at least one of the head top or the PAPR; a head detection sensor configured to detect that the worker's head is positioned within the head top; and at least one computer processor configured to:
determine a time period associated with activity of the worker while wearing the head top;
receive first data that indicates that the worker's head is positioned within the head top;
receive second data that indicates the temperature of the ambient air as measured by the temperature sensor;
determine that the temperature of the ambient air exceeds a threshold temperature associated with safe activity over the time period for the worker while the visor is in the closed position; and
perform at least one operation based at least in part on the determination that the temperature of the ambient air exceeds the temperature associated with safe activity over the time period for the worker while the visor is in the closed position.

2 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to:
in response to determining that the temperature of the ambient air inside at least one of the head top or PAPR exceeds a temperature associated with safe activity for the worker, determine that the worker has a heat related illness.

3 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to:
in response to determining that the temperature of the ambient air inside at least one of the head top or PAPR exceeds a temperature associated with safe activity for the worker, generate an output that indicates hydration for the worker.

4 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:
output for display via a graphical user interface, the temperature of the ambient air as measured by the temperature sensor inside at least one of the head top or the PAPR contemporaneously with identifying information of the worker.

5 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to:
output for display in the graphical user interface, the temperature of the ambient air as measured by the temperature sensor in combination with identifying information of the worker and the temperature associated with the safe activity over the time period for the worker.

6 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to:
output for display in the graphical user interface over a time series, the temperature of the ambient air inside at least one of the head top or PAPR contemporaneously with identifying information of the worker.

7 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to:
output for display in the graphical user interface over the time series, a set of time labels on an x-axis of a graph and a set of temperature labels on a y-axis of the graph, wherein the graph includes one or more temperatures of the ambient air inside at least one of the head top or PAPR over the time series.

8 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to:
output for display in the graphical user interface over the time series, a graphical indicator of an anomaly in the temperature of the ambient air inside at least one of the head top or PAPR at a particular time; and output for display text that indicates the temperature of the ambient air at the particular time inside at least one of the head top or PAPR contemporaneously with text that indicates the particular time.

9 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:
output for display in the graphical user interface, a change in the temperature of the ambient air as measured by the temperature sensor in combination with identifying information of the worker and the temperature associated with the safe activity over the time period for the worker.

10 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 1 , wherein to determine that the temperature of the ambient air inside at least one of the head top or PAPR exceeds a temperature associated with safe activity for the worker, the at least one computer processor is configured to:
apply the temperature of the ambient air as measured by the temperature sensor to a safety model to predict a likelihood of a safety event.

11 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is included in at least one of the head top or the PAPR.

12 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is included in a data hub configured to be worn by the worker, wherein the data hub is physically separate from the head top and PAPR.

13 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is included in a server computing device of a personal protection equipment management system (PPEMS) that is physically separate from the head top, the PAPR, and the worker.

14 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 1 , wherein to perform the at least one operation, the at least one computer processor is configured to send a message to a remote computing device, wherein the message comprises at least one of (a) the temperature of the ambient air or (b) third data formed based at least in part on the determination that the temperature of the ambient air exceeds the temperature associated with safe activity for the worker.

15 . The personal protective equipment system of claim 1 , wherein the head detection sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

16 . A computing device comprising:
a memory; and one or more computer processors configured to:
receive, from a head detection sensor, first data, that indicates that the worker's head is positioned within a head top;
determine a time period associated with activity of the worker while wearing the head top;
receive second data, from a temperature sensor coupled to on

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Awiszus Steven T
• Kanukurthy Kiran S
• Lobner Eric C
• Quintero Robert J
• Johnson Micayla A
• Filloux Madeleine

Classifications

• G02F1/13318

  Circuits comprising a photodetector · CPC title

• A61F9/068

  with supply or suction of gas, air or smoke inside or outside the welding hood · CPC title

• A61F9/067 Primary

  with variable transmission · CPC title

• A62B9/006 Primary

  Indicators or warning devices, e.g. of low pressure, contamination · CPC title

• A62B18/006

  with pumps for forced ventilation (A62B18/045 takes precedence) · CPC title