Line connector having a link detection system and method of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016107007-A1
Application number	US-201414519266-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 21, 2014
Priority date	Oct 21, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A line connector for a personal fall protection system includes a carabiner having a loop portion that at least partially defines an opening. The opening is configured to receive a mating component of the personal fall protection system. The line connector also includes at least one sensor. Each at least one sensor includes a coil disposed around the loop portion of the carabiner. The line connector further includes a control unit coupled to the at least one sensor. The control unit is operable to send an excitation signal to the at least one sensor and determine whether the line connector is coupled to the mating component based on a response signal received from the at least one sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A line connector for a personal fall protection system, said line connector comprising:
a carabiner having a loop portion that at least partially defines an opening, said opening configured to receive a mating component of the personal fall protection system; at least one sensor, each said at least one sensor comprises a coil disposed around said loop portion of said carabiner; and a control unit coupled to said at least one sensor, said control unit operable to:
send an excitation signal to said at least one sensor; and
determine whether said line connector is coupled to the mating component based on a response signal received from said at least one sensor.

2 . The line connector according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit comprises a communication interface configured to communicate with one of a personal monitor and a workspace monitor.

3 . The line connector according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors comprises a coil, each said coil located at a different position along said loop portion of said carabiner.

4 . The line connector according to claim 3 , wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a first sensor positioned along a first portion of said loop portion of said carabiner, and a second sensor positioned along a second portion of said loop portion of said carabiner that is substantially non-parallel to said first portion.

5 . The line connector according to claim 3 , wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a first sensor positioned along a first portion of said loop portion of said carabiner, and a third sensor positioned along a third portion of said loop portion of said carabiner that is substantially opposite to said first portion across said opening.

6 . The line connector according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is further operable to:
store a table of expected mating component response signals, wherein each expected mating component response signal is associated with a presence of one of a plurality of types of the mating component extending through said opening; and compare the response signal to said table to determine whether the response signal matches one of the expected mating component responses.

7 . The line connector according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is further operable to:
store a table of expected environmental noise response signals, wherein each expected environmental noise response signal is associated with a presence of one of a plurality of sources of environmental noise proximate said opening; and compare the response signal to said table to determine whether the response signal matches one of the expected environmental noise responses.

8 . The line connector according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is coupled to a cross-bar that extends across said opening.

9 . A personal fall protection system comprising:
a harness; at least one line element; and a plurality of line connectors configured to couple to mating components for connecting said harness, said at least one line element, and an anchor, at least one of said plurality of line connectors comprising: a carabiner having a loop portion that at least partially defines an opening, said opening configured to receive a mating component; at least one sensor, each said at least one sensor comprises a coil disposed around said loop portion; and a control unit coupled to said at least one sensor, said control unit operable to:
send an excitation signal to said at least one sensor; and
determine whether said line connector is coupled to the mating component based on a response signal received from said at least one sensor.

10 . The personal fall protection system according to claim 9 , wherein said control unit comprises a communication interface configured to communicate with one of a personal monitor and a workspace monitor.

11 . The personal fall protection system according to claim 9 , wherein said at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, each of said plurality of sensors comprises a coil, each said coil located at a different position along said loop portion of said carabiner.

12 . The personal fall protection system according to claim 11 , wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a first sensor positioned along a first portion of said loop portion of said carabiner, and a second sensor positioned along a second portion of said loop portion of said carabiner that is substantially non-parallel to said first portion.

13 . The personal fall protection system according to claim 11 , wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a first sensor positioned along a first portion of said loop portion of said carabiner, and a third sensor positioned along a third portion of said loop portion of said carabiner that is substantially opposite to said first portion across said opening.

14 . The personal fall protection system according to claim 9 , wherein said control unit is further operable to:
store a table of expected mating component response signals, wherein each expected mating component response signal is associated with a presence of one of a plurality of types of said mating component extending through said opening; and compare the response signal to said table to determine whether the response signal matches one of the expected mating component responses.

15 . The personal fall protection system according to claim 9 , wherein said control unit is further operable to:
store a table of expected environmental noise response signals, wherein each expected environmental noise response signal is associated with a presence of one of a plurality of sources of environmental noise proximate said opening; and compare the response signal to said table to determine whether the response signal matches one of the expected environmental noise responses.

16 . The personal fall protection system according to claim 9 , wherein said control unit is coupled to a cross-bar that extends across said opening.

17 . A method of making a line connector for a personal fall protection system, said method comprising:
disposing a coil of at least one sensor around a loop portion of a carabiner to form the line connector, wherein the loop portion of the carabiner at least partially defines an opening configured to receive a mating component of the personal fall protection system; and coupling a control unit to the at least one sensor, wherein the control unit is operable to:
send an excitation signal to the at least one sensor; and
determine whether the line connector is coupled to the mating component based on a response signal received from the at least one sensor.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and disposing the coil around the loop portion comprises locating the coil of each respective sensor at a different position along the loop portion of the carabiner.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein locating the coil of each respective sensor at a different position comprises:
positioning a first sensor along a first portion of the loop portion of the carabiner; and positioning a second sensor along a second portion of the loop portion of the carabiner that is substantially non-parallel to the first portion.

20 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein locating the coil of each respective sensor at a different position comprises:
positioning a first sen

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pollard Gerald Oren

Classifications

• A62B35/0075 Primary

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

• A62B35/0006

  Harnesses; Accessories therefor · CPC title