WO2011007021A2

WO2011007021A2 - Intelligent individual equipment for protection during a fall

Info

Publication number: WO2011007021A2
Application number: PCT/ES2010/000291
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francisco Javier Moreno Romero; María MORENO CASCALES
Original assignee: Universidad De Huelva
Priority date: 2009-07-16
Filing date: 2010-07-07
Publication date: 2011-01-20
Also published as: WO2011007021A3

Abstract

The invention relates to an inflatable jacket (1) that can be adapted to the body of a worker and automatically inflates in the event of a fall of the worker from a height. The invention is based on a gas cylinder which is instantaneously opened and emptied as a result of the corresponding signal generated by a central electronic system also built into the jacket (1), said system receiving the information from a series of sensors arranged in the soles (3) of the footwear (6) of the worker, and a pulsometer (2) arranged on the thorax, when the worker's feet leave the ground due to a fall and the pulse of the worker increases. The equipment is completed with a high-quality anti-fall harness (14), which ensures the suspension of the worker in the air and prevents said worker from falling and hitting solid ground.

Description

SMART INDIVIDUAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT AGAINST

FALLS

D E S C R I P C I O N OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an individual protection equipment against falls, provided the equipment to act intelligently, that is to say automatically, and which allows the user full freedom from manipulations thereof in order to grant a complete security both at the time of the fall and in its development until it is suspended in height.

The equipment is totally suitable for use in work at height, with a risk of falling, independent of the level of height on which one works and the sector of activity.

The invention is therefore in the field of occupational risk prevention as intelligent individual protection equipment against falls at different levels, whose purpose is to complement and increase the security currently reported by individual protection equipment for existing falls in height. Therefore it is not intended to replace existing equipment, just complement and increase user safety for work at height.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Obviously, when an operator must work at height, such as on a scaffold, the safest solution, in many cases mandatory, is to use a harness that relates the user's body to a fixed point and that in case of an eventual fall leaves immediately suspended the user's body, avoiding any impact. However, this solution, being perfectly valid from the point of view of security, presents a lack of protection for the user in the different main organs of the same as at the time of the fall and as a result of shocks or collisions that may suffer the user on his way, before being suspended in the air, may occur.

After an exhaustive search for patents and similar devices we have found two large groups that, although they work incorporating an action technology similar to ours, are not applicable to our field, the prevention of occupational hazards at work, nor have such advanced technology incorporated nor, technologically speaking, do they act the same way.

The use of clothing is also known, which can protect the user's body to a greater or lesser extent, and that incorporate one or more inflatable bags at the time of the accident, thus acting as shock absorbers against the possible impact.

In this regard, it is worth mentioning, among others, the following patents: UK-1588919 (20), US-4059852 (21), US-5781936 (22), GB-1479733 (23), WO- 9530345 (24), US- 4089065 (25), US-3921944 (26), DE-2717234 (27), FR- 2499373 (28), GB-1588919 (29), US-4825469 (30), ES-2141686 (31) and ES- 1026108 (32) All these patents present as a common denominator, in addition to the aforementioned incorporation of inflatable bags, an "umbilical cord" activation system, that is, between the inflatable garment that the operator has incorporated and a fixed point. An increase in distancing brings the said activation.

It is also known that these inflatable garments incorporate a compressed gas cylinder, such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen, whose opening is carried out by explosion, extraordinarily quickly, so that the garment adopts the swelling position corresponding to its protection against impact, before it occurs.

These devices have strong limitations for the user and cannot be used as a complement to the harness given their lack of freedom in terms of movement and the complexities of their clothing. They are usually applied and marketed for motorcyclists as a safety airbag.

Solutions are also known in which the explosion of the gas cylinder is carried out at the expense of signals generated by sensors, such as the solutions shown in WO-9852433 (33), ES-2258104 (34), ES -2311800 (35), ES-2281010 (36), DE-4009433 (37) and US- 5091992 (38). These devices are connected to motion detectors such as acceleration sensors, shock / shock and / or inclination sensors of the object with respect to the ground, so that a physical connection (umbilical cord) between the object and the user is not required .

These devices are not applicable to the field of safety in the case of operators working at heights, and no background has been found in this regard that allows their application to this specific work area.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The intelligent individual protection equipment against falls at different levels that the invention proposes comes to occupy a technical vacuum that currently exists, allowing to take advantage of the benefits that a Advanced technology provides us with a full guarantee of security for the user and fulfilling all the requirements that the legal framework imposes on us. That is why the device must always be used as a security complement for Aranese and not as an isolated entity since the user would not be complying with current legislation.

The present invention describes a personal protection equipment against falls, which is intelligent, which is based on an inflatable vest with certain specific characteristics and in which a pair of insoles intended to stay in the operator's shoes participates, so that on said insoles rest the feet of said user, resulting in those anatomical, and each of which houses a pair of sensors, one in the heel area and another in the metatarsal area, both areas considered discharge since they are the which generate greater pressure in static and dynamic postures, so that in the development of the activity of the operator any of these sensors will be activated, providing information to an electronic control unit responsible for automatically activating the firing of the gas cylinder implanted in the vest , when it receives information that the four sensors are deactivated due to having separated from the s I smell the user's two feet.

To solve the situation of the 100% lack of reliability of the aforementioned equipment, when the operator separates both feet from the ground (for example, sitting operator), but without having suffered a fall, it is foreseen that in addition to the sensors established in the templates , the equipment is complemented with a heart rate monitor intended to count the pulsations (heart rate) of the person who uses it, a heart rate monitor associated with an elastic band that with its adjustable length can be adapted and conveniently fixed to the operator's chest, in the most suitable position so that said heart rate monitor captures the heart rate and generates the corresponding signal in turn when said rhythm is seen substantially accelerated, which obviously happens in a situation such as that of a vacuum fall.

In this way, for the automatic explosion of the gas bottle and the consequent instant inflation of the vest, two conditions must occur simultaneously, on the one hand that the two feet of the operator are distanced from the ground and that on the other hand the At that time, the blood pressure monitor captures a pulsation level substantially higher than normal.

The vest will be expandable at the expense of its exterior wall, so that the interior does not press the operator's body after its inflation, and will have both the gas cartridge and the electronic control unit incorporated, counting in its rear area with extreme expansions of protection of the Coxigea zones and the lumbar area of the spine, leaving the operator's limbs fully free, both upper and lower, so that he can perform his work comfortably. It will also have a vertical and middle posterior opening, specifically in correspondence with the crest of the spine to facilitate the arching of the latter in certain maneuvers, such as for example to take an object from the ground.

The two halves of the vest determined by that opening are interrelated by transverse and elastic strips. The vest, in turn, will look like another garment of the operator's clothing, versatile, lightweight and ergonomic. It will have incorporated emergency luminescent bands that will allow us to visualize, both with and without light, the operator better.

As for the templates mentioned, they will preferably be soft silicone, to achieve a high degree of damping in their use and to improve the working conditions of the sensors, preventing them from suffering any type of wear by absorption of liquids such as sweat, and may be provided with holes that facilitate foot perspiration.

It must also be said that the information generated by the sensors reaches the electronic control unit through wireless sensors to give the operator maximum freedom of movement.

The intelligent individual fall protection equipment described is complemented by an anti-fall harness element forming a vest and harness assembly, allowing its application on the entire height scale, as well as in all sectors of activity that require mandatory use of harnesses, with the consequent advantage of not only protecting the user from falling, but from all the blows or shocks that it can suffer until suspended in the air.

Therefore, by incorporating the harness it is about protecting and securing the most vital areas of the user's body that are bare and completely exposed at the time of a fall, which are highly vulnerable to obstacles at the same time, ensuring also the suspension of the operator in the air and avoiding the precipitation in shock of said operator on fixed or immobile ground, such as the ground.

On the other hand, it can be said that the pulsometer that generates a wireless signal from the heart rate to the switchboard can be incorporated around the individual's chest or on the wrist itself, without violating its information ability.

For its part, the electronic control unit will be responsible for receiving all the information supplied by the pressure sensors and the heart rate monitor, analyzing the information and proceeding to activate the cylinder vest to inflate it if the reading is negative and the fall occurs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. In an illustrative and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows, according to a schematic perspective representation, the body of a man on which the pulsometer is installed, which constitutes one of the components of the intelligent individual protection equipment against falls, object of the present invention.

Figure 2.- It shows an elevation view and another plan view of the footwear-insole set that in turn constitutes another component, the insole only, of the equipment that is recommended.

Figure 3.- Shows a front elevation view of the vest that completes the equipment of the invention, duly implanted on the user's body.

Figure 4.- Shows a rear elevational view of the assembly represented in Figure 3. In this image, the open central band that facilitates user mobility and the elastic transverse bands that hold both parts together and fit the body of the body can be seen operator.

Figure 5.- Shows a profile of the same set of figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6.- Shows a side elevation view of the user with the vest in a sitting position on the floor, in which the sensors of their templates are all deactivated but the pulsemeter reading is lower than the heart rate at the time of freefall.

Figure 7.- Shows, finally, the ultimate result of the vest-harness set. The user is now ready to work at height.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As can be seen in the aforementioned figures, the personal protective equipment proposed by the invention comprises a vest (1) that is represented in Figures 3 to 6, the pulsometer (2) that is represented in detail in Figure 1, and the templates with pressure sensors (3) that appear in figure 2, as main components or elements of the equipment.

The heart rate monitor (2), which can be of any conventional type, is fixed to the operator's chest (4) in the most suitable working position, with the collaboration of a band (5) of adjustable and elastic length, to adapt to different body sizes, provided that said heart rate monitor (2) can be applied to another part of the body, such as the user's wrist.

As for the insoles (3), these are made of silicone, of anatomical configuration suitable to adapt to the sole of the shoe (6) and to the user's own foot, incorporating pressure sensors (7) conveniently located in the areas of the plant and the heel, on which the body weight is loaded both when standing and when walking, running, etc. In addition, the template (3) is provided with a plurality of perforations (8) that facilitate perspiration and consequent sweat removal.

Finally, as for the vest (1), it will leave the upper and lower limbs of the operator completely free, the gas cylinder (9) will be integrated, which is responsible for inflating the vest (1) instantly, at the expense of of a signal received from an electronic control unit, not shown, and also integrated in the vest, which activates on the cylinder (9) when it receives relevant information regarding the sensors (7) and the heart rate monitor (2).

The vest (1) also has a posterior and superior extension (10) for protection of the coccygeal area and the operator's column, including the neck, and with posterior and inferior extensions (11), so that all the The spine is conveniently protected, including the coccyx along with the entire frontal region.

As can be seen especially in Figure 4, the vest (1) has a slot or rear opening (12) that affects it mostly in height, with the exception of the upper end area, the edges of this slot (12) being related to each other by means of a plurality of transverse and elastic bands (13) that, on the one hand, facilitate the user's body flexions and, on the other, allow the vest to adapt to different body sizes.

For the four sensors (7) to generate signals of absence of pressure on the user's feet, one of these two circumstances must occur, either the operator has fallen into a vacuum, or adopts a position like the one shown in Figure 6, in which your body weight does not rest on your feet, while sitting or lying down.

Consequently, in this position of figure 6, the vest must not be activated, so it is necessary to check the corresponding signal from the heart rate monitor (2), a signal that is the evidence of the fall, given that when faced with a sudden danger situation , such as the aforementioned fall, the sympathetic nervous system causes the heart to pump faster than normal so that more blood reaches different parts of the body that may need it, being this heartbeat, with a very rapid rhythm, which generates the signal supplied to the electronic control unit, that there is such an emergency or danger situation, information that combined with that coming from the templates sensors, will give rise to the swelling of the vest, to cushion the impact on the different protrusions and / or obstacles that may exist in the route of the operator in his fall until his final rest in suspension.

Finally, the protective equipment described in this invention consists in the combination of said equipment with an anti-fall harness (14) which, as seen in Figure 7, is complemented with the vest (1) to form a set , allowing not only to dampen the impact on the different protrusions or obstacles that may exist in the operator's path in its fall until the end of the descent in suspension, but also ensures and protects the most vital areas of the user's body, being applicable to all the scale of heights and in all sectors of activity that require the mandatory use of harnesses, with the advantage of not only protecting the user from the fall, but also from the blows or shocks that he may suffer until his suspension in the air . It is therefore about securing and protecting the most vital areas of the user's body that are bare and completely exposed at the time of a fall and that are highly vulnerable to obstacles at the dramatic moment

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S

I ^a single intelligent .- equipment fall protection, of the type incorporating an inflatable protective element, such as a vest, at the expense of an integrated content in the same gas cylinder, and when it receives activation signals coming from an electronic switchboard, characterized in that, in addition to the aforementioned vest (1) with its gas cylinder (9), some templates (3) provided with pressure sensors (7) participate, which detect when the operator has their two feet separated from the floor or work surface, as well as a heart rate monitor (2) that in turn generates an activation signal in the face of a strong acceleration of the heartbeat due to a risk situation, the electronic control unit receiving the signals from the sensors and the pulsometer and activating the gas cylinder when the circumstances corresponding to a vacuum drop occur, and a high quality anti-fall harness (14), ensuring the suspension of the oper Aryan in the air and avoiding the precipitation and the collision of the same on immobile ground such as the ground.

2 .- intelligent personal protection against falls, according ^to claim I, wherein the jacket (1) which as such leaves free the upper and lower extremities of the operator incorporates superior protection (10) for the cervical area and medullary of the column of the user, and a lower extension (11) for the lower extremity of said column, coccygeal zone, and a posterior, vertical and middle cut (12), in correspondence with which transverse elastic strips are established (13 ).

3 .- intelligent personal protection against falls, according to previous claims, characterized in that the jacket (1) is expandable at the expense of its outer wall during inflation maneuver, remaining dimensionally stable internal wall to prevent damage and / or thoracic oppression for the user at the time of activation.

4 .- Personal protective equipment intelligent against falls, according to claim I ^to, characterized in that the sensors (7) of templates (3) are placed in correspondence with loading areas of the user 's body, specifically on the metatarsal areas and heel.

5 .- equipment intelligent personal fall protection, according to claims I and 4th, characterized in that the templates (3) are made of silicone are anatomically - shaped for optimum adaptation both the shoe sole (6) as at the foot of the user, and incorporate a plurality of perforations (8) to facilitate perspiration.

6 .- equipment intelligent personal fall protection according ^to claim I, wherein the heart rate monitor (2) that generates a wireless heart rate signal to the control unit, can be incorporated around the individual chest or wrist without violate your information reliability.

7 '.- intelligent equipment individually fall protection according ^to claim I, wherein the electronic control unit is provided to receive all the information provided by the pressure sensors (7) and the heart rate monitor (2), analyzing information and proceeding to the activation of the cylinder of the vest for the inflation of the same, in the case of being affirmative the reading and the fall takes place.