US 12,090,351 B2
Fall protection equipment having inductive sensor for connection status and control
Anthony J. Nowicki, Woodbury, MN (US); Ronald D. Jesme, Plymouth, MN (US); Judd D. Perner, Missouri City, TX (US); Scott E. Brigham, Maplewood, MN (US); Jeffrey T. Keacher, Denver, CO (US); Mohsen Salehi, Woodbury, MN (US); and Jonathan J. Lepp, Eagan, MN (US)
Assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US)
Filed by 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
Filed on Mar. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/121,651.
Application 18/121,651 is a continuation of application No. 16/968,281, granted, now 11,633,633, previously published as PCT/US2019/016768, filed on Feb. 6, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/628,720, filed on Feb. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0218935 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G08B 21/00 (2006.01); A62B 35/00 (2006.01); F16B 45/02 (2006.01); G01V 3/10 (2006.01); G08B 21/02 (2006.01); A62B 35/04 (2006.01)
CPC A62B 35/0068 (2013.01) [A62B 35/0037 (2013.01); A62B 35/0075 (2013.01); F16B 45/023 (2021.05); F16B 45/024 (2021.05); F16B 45/028 (2021.05); G01V 3/101 (2013.01); G08B 21/02 (2013.01); A62B 35/0093 (2013.01); A62B 35/04 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fall protection device comprising:
a gated hook comprising:
a body that at least partially defines an area of attachment configured to receive a metal structure, and
a moveable gate connected to the body and configured to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein the open position provides access to the area of attachment of the gated hook and the closed position restricts access to the area of attachment of the gated hook;
at least one inductive sensor for sensing whether the metal structure is within the area of attachment of the gated hook, the at least one inductive sensor being configured so that a resonant frequency of an electrical circuit of the at least one inductive sensor changes when the metal structure is within the area of attachment relative to when the metal structure is not within the area of attachment;
at least one gate sensor configured to generate data indicating whether the moveable gate is in the open position or the closed position;
and,
one or more processors configured to:
determine a resonant frequency change in the electrical circuit of the at least one inductive sensor responsive to the metal structure being within the area of attachment and to determine that the metal structure is within the area of attachment based on the resonant frequency change;
receive the data from the at least one gate sensor indicating whether the moveable gate is in the open position or the closed position;
and,
generate information indicative of whether a user of the fall protection device is connected, by way of the fall protection device, to an anchorage capable of supporting the weight of the user in the event of a user fall, based at least in part on a determination of whether the metal structure is within the area of attachment of the gated hook and the moveable gate of the gated hook is in the closed position.