3m Innovative Properties Company

Jonathan J Lepp

Jeffrey T Keacher

Scott E Brigham

Lauren K Carlson

Heidi A Lopez-Hidalgo

Stephen D Shaver

Christopher W Coyle

Ronald David Jesme

Mohsen Salehi

Michael T Weiss

Tyler B Henn

Christopher J Reineke

Christopher M Higgins

Judd D Perner

Kristin M Mikes

Nathan W Safe

Judd J Perner

Anthony J Nowicki

Donaldo J Medeiros

Aline H Hinkle

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.

Aerial lift interlocked with fall-protection safety apparatus

A fall-protection apparatus comprising at least one connector that comprises a resonant-frequency-shifting inductive sensing unit that is configured to detect whether the connector appears to be connected to a first item and is further configured to detect whether the connector appears to be connected to a second, different item.

Fall-protection apparatus with multimodal inductive sensing

A fall-protection system including a harness and a fall-protection apparatus with a lifeline bearing a connector configured to be connected to the harness; and, a fall-protection monitoring system with a base unit and with at least one sensor module configured to sense a condition of the connector and to communicate a signal indicative of the condition of the connector to the base unit.

Fall-protection system with monitoring system

Techniques are described for monitoring and controlling fall protection equipment. For example, the techniques of this disclosure may be used to monitor the connection status of fall protection equipment, e.g., whether or not the fall protection equipment is connected to a support structure. The techniques described in the disclosure may determine whether the fall protection equipment is connected to a support structure based on changes in a resonant frequency of an electronic circuit of an inductive sensor within the fall protection equipment. The inductive sensor may be formed from sets of one or more coils, where a first set of one or more coils and a second set of one or more coils are wound in opposite directions.

Fall protection equipment having inductive sensor for connection status and control

Growing community of inventors

Eagan, MN, United States of America

Jonathan J Lepp