PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WITH AN INFORMATION DISPLAY AREA

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to personal protective equipment with an information display area. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for changing the state of an information display area of ​​personal protective equipment. Background of the invention

[0002] To carry out work in hard-to-reach places, such as at great heights, rope access techniques can be used, in which a worker, also called a rope access technician, rappels down to the work site. Rope access technicians are generally employed when it is either too expensive or too cumbersome to erect a crane or scaffolding to gain access to the work site. For example, rope access technicians clean windows on high-rise buildings or perform assembly, maintenance, and repair work on wind turbines.

[0003] Rope access technicians are generally redundantly secured during their work and primarily rappel down to the work site using standardized specialized equipment. Depending on the local conditions, they then either rappel from the work site to the ground or ascend back up the rope.

[0004] Personal protective equipment, such as fall arrest devices, is used for safety. A fall arrest device is an extendable lanyard equipped with an automatic locking mechanism.

[0005] Due to certification and safety requirements, personal protective equipment must comply with a wide variety of specifications. For example, fall arrest devices must remain locked after being activated until the load is released. This prevents further falls.

[0006] Personal protective equipment can also be used in different ways, which can be problematic from a user safety perspective, as illustrated here by the example of a fall arrest device: In a vertical application, the fall arrest device is mounted in such a way that the lanyard is not subjected to edge stress during use. For example, the fall arrest device is mounted on a ceiling, with the space directly below the mounting point freely accessible.

[0007] In a horizontal application, the fall arrest device is mounted in such a way that the lanyard is subjected to edge stress when used. For example, the fall arrest device is attached to a floor so that the space directly below the mounting point is not freely accessible. In horizontal use, the lanyard then extends parallel to the floor until it reaches an edge, and from there extends essentially vertically downwards. In other words, the lanyard is subjected to edge stress when used horizontally. If there is a risk of edge stress on the lanyard when using the fall arrest device, the device must be tested and approved for this application.

[0008] The certification requirements also stipulate that the weight used for certification and safety tests must be indicated on the fall arrest device. However, this leads to a situation where two different weights are indicated on fall arrest devices certified for both vertical and horizontal use, and where the certification was carried out at different weights. This can be confusing for the user. Consequently, there is an increased risk that the user will employ the fall arrest device in unauthorized situations – for example, with an excessive weight – thereby compromising the user's safety.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need to improve the safety of users of personal protective equipment.

[0010] Document KR 200 461 735 Y1 refers to a seat belt with a multifunctional length adjuster, and in particular to a seat belt adjuster that is a type of binding device for adjusting the length of a seat belt and a belt buckle. The seat belt has a notification function for personal information, thereby improving the comfort and practicality of the seat belt.

[0011] Document WO 2007 / 061651 A1 concerns a seatbelt attachment for emergency information. This provides an identification and information tag that is detachably attached to a seatbelt and can be attached to and carried with a user in the event of an accident or other incident. Identification and personal information is printed on a removable card, which is inserted into a pocket formed in the tag and displayed through a transparent window formed in the top surface of the tag.

[0012] Document CN 207 663 672 U relates to the technical field of information panels and in particular to a rotating information sign. Description of the invention

[0013] Starting from this situation, it is an object of the present invention to provide means to improve the safety of the user of personal protective equipment and, in particular, to reduce the risk of personal protective equipment being used in situations for which it is not certified.

[0014] The problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0015] Accordingly, the task is solved by personal protective equipment with an information display area, wherein the information display area comprises an information carrier for displaying information of a first application and a second application of the personal protective equipment, the information display area displays exclusively information relating to the first application in a first of at least two states and displays exclusively information relating to the second application in a second state, wherein the display of the information display area can be switched back and forth multiple times between the at least two states and wherein a) the information carrier provides information relating to the first application on its front side and information relating to the second application on its back side, and can be switched back and forth multiple times between the at least two states by a rotational movement of the information carrier about an axis of rotation which lies in a plane of the information carrier, wherein the information carrier is detachably connected to a housing or surface of the personal protective equipment in the information display area by means of a clamping connection, or the information carrier is connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment in the information display area by means of a hinge connection, or the information carrier is detachably connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment in the information display area by means of a screw connection,or b) the information carrier provides on its front side information relating to the first application and information relating to the second application, the personal protective equipment in the information display area comprises a cover for the information carrier having a viewing window, and wherein it is possible to switch back and forth between the at least two states repeatedly by a rotational movement of the information carrier about an axis of rotation perpendicular to a plane of the information carrier, or by an axial movement of the information carrier along an axis lying in a plane of the information carrier, and / or it is possible to switch between the at least two states by a rotational movement or axial movement of the cover having the viewing window.

[0016] One aspect of the invention is that information relating to the first application (e.g., vertical application in the case of fall arrest devices) and information relating to the second application (e.g., horizontal application in the case of fall arrest devices) are not simultaneously visible on the personal protective equipment. Instead, the information display area comprises at least two states and is designed such that the information relating to the first application is only visible to the user at times when the information relating to the second application is not visible, and vice versa. This prevents the user from misinterpreting the information relating to the first and second applications and, for example, loading the fall arrest device with a weight not permitted for the respective application.

[0017] Another aspect is that the information display area is designed to allow multiple switches between at least two states. Thus, depending on the intended use, the information display area can be set to the state corresponding to the intended use before the personal protective equipment is deployed. For example, if the fall arrest device is intended for vertical use, the information display area can be set to a state in which the user sees only information relating to vertical use on the display.If, however, the fall arrest device is intended for horizontal use, the information display area can be set to a state prior to use in which the user sees only information relating to horizontal application on the information carrier. In particular, it is possible to switch back and forth between at least two states multiple times, so that the personal protective equipment is not limited to a single application but can be used for multiple different applications – for example, vertical and horizontal use. This allows the user to purchase only one set of personal protective equipment, and the information display area also ensures increased user safety.

[0018] In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016 / 425 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on personal protective equipment, the term "personal protective equipment" (PPE) is understood to mean exclusively: a) Equipment designed and manufactured to be worn or held by a person as protection against one or more risks to their health or safety; b) interchangeable components for equipment as defined in point a) which are essential to its protective function; and c) connection systems for equipment as defined in point a) which are not held or worn by a person and are designed to connect that equipment to an external device or secure anchor point, and which are not designed to be permanently attached and which do not require any fastening work prior to use.

[0019] Preferably, the information concerning the first application includes information regarding a first use case of the personal protective equipment, for example, its use in a first geographical area or its use under a first predetermined external stress. Preferably, the information concerning the second application includes information regarding a second use case of the personal protective equipment that differs from the first use case, for example, its use in a second geographical area or its use under a second predetermined external stress.

[0020] Preferably, the information concerning the first use includes information relating to the first use that must be affixed to the personal protective equipment due to regulatory requirements. Preferably, the information concerning the second use includes information relating to the second use that must be affixed to the personal protective equipment due to regulatory requirements.

[0021] The information relating to the first application more preferably includes information relating to a horizontal application and more preferably information on a maximum weight load for horizontal application. The information relating to the second application more preferably includes information relating to a vertical application and more preferably information on a maximum weight load for vertical application.

[0022] In vertical applications, personal protective equipment (PPE) is mounted in such a way that a connecting element of the PPE is not subjected to edge stress during use. For example, the fall arrest device is mounted on a ceiling, with the space directly below the mounting point remaining freely accessible.

[0023] In horizontal applications, personal protective equipment (PPE) is mounted in such a way that the lanyard is subjected to stress when used over an edge. For example, a fall arrest device is attached to a floor, so that the space directly below the attachment point is not freely accessible. In horizontal use, the lanyard initially extends parallel to the floor until it reaches an edge, and then extends essentially vertically downwards from there.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the personal protective equipment is designed as a fall arrest device, a harness, a helmet, a lanyard, a descent or rescue device, a fall arrest device, a carabiner, a rescue device, a power ascender, and / or a load securing system. The first and second applications also differ depending on the design of the personal protective equipment.

[0025] Preferably, the fall arrest device complies with the EN360:2002 standard. Fall arrest devices are used as part of personal protective equipment against falls from height (PPE). They typically serve as a connecting element between a full-body harness and an anchor point. If a fall occurs during work at height, a brake is preferably activated by a centrifugal force mechanism, reliably arresting the fall. In other words, the fall arrest device is preferably a fall arrest device with a locking function. Preferably, the fall arrest device is designed such that, in the event of a fall, it arrests the user within a distance of 2 meters and the force exerted does not exceed 6 kN.The fall arrest device allows the user to move freely within a defined radius while working at height, and in the event of a fall, braking and damping systems reduce the forces acting on the body. Furthermore, the fall arrest device preferably allows the lanyard to be adjusted so that, even when working in different positions, the fall distance is kept short in the event of a fall.

[0026] The fall arrest device is preferably certified for horizontal use as the first application and for vertical use as the second. Preferably, the fall arrest device is designed such that the maximum user weight for vertical use is 140 kg and the maximum user weight for horizontal use is 100 kg. Furthermore, the fall arrest device is preferably also equipped such that it is approved for horizontal use even without an additional energy absorber.

[0027] The fall arrest device preferably comprises a lanyard, which may be a rope, steel cable, webbing, and / or strap. More preferably, the fall arrest device comprises a housing, a carabiner, a pulley, a rope pulley, a lead-in damper, a rope brake, and / or an anchor point. The lanyard is preferably protected during retraction by the pulley integrated into the housing of the fall arrest device. This protects both the housing of the fall arrest device and the lanyard itself from wear. Furthermore, the energy-absorbing lead-in damper prevents the carabiner from striking the housing unchecked during rope retraction. The housing of the fall arrest device is more preferably UV-impermeable and made of plastic and / or aluminum. For the sake of the fall arrest device's robustness, the lanyard is preferably protected from UV radiation by the housing.Furthermore, plastic and / or aluminum materials have the advantage that the housing is lightweight and robust.

[0028] Preferably, the fall arrest device may include one or more fall indicators and / or fall alarms. The fall indicator and / or fall alarm – for example, a color code – preferably indicates whether the fall arrest device is still functional or needs to be checked, for example, because a fall has occurred. The fall indicator and / or fall alarm may be located on a carabiner or on the housing of the fall arrest device. For example, the condition of a brake on the fall arrest device can be assessed in this way without opening the housing.

[0029] As already mentioned, one aspect is that the information display area encompasses the information carrier and is designed such that it is possible to switch back and forth between at least two states multiple times. In this context, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the information carrier is a non-electronic information carrier, and / or the information carrier is designed as a non-electronic display, and / or the display of the information display area is designed such that switching between the two states is possible without the supply of electrical energy. In other words, the personal protective equipment is preferably designed such that a change of state is not effected by the supply of electrical energy. Instead, the personal protective equipment is preferably designed such that a change of state is possible by the supply of mechanical energy.Thus, the information carrier is durable and does not rely on an electrical energy storage device. The personal protective equipment is therefore preferably free of an electrical energy storage device. Furthermore, the information carrier is preferably designed to permanently display the information relating to the first application and / or the information relating to the second application. Particularly preferably, the information is applied to the information carrier by means of printing, engraving, embossing, and / or laser marking.

[0030] According to the invention, the information carrier provides information relating to the first application, preferably the vertical application, on its front side and information relating to the second application, preferably the horizontal application, on its back side, and / or it allows the user to repeatedly switch back and forth between the at least two states by rotating the information carrier about an axis of rotation located in a plane of the information carrier. Providing the information on the front and back of the preferably non-transparent information carrier offers a simple way to ensure that, in the first state of the information display area, only information relating to the first application is visible, and in the second state, only information relating to the second application is visible. The information carrier is particularly preferably designed as a shield.The multiple changes between the two states are achieved by rotating the information carrier, such that after the rotation the other side of the information carrier is visible to the user.

[0031] To facilitate multiple changes of state by rotation, the information carrier in the information display area of ​​the personal protective equipment is preferably detachably connected to a housing or surface of the personal protective equipment. For example, the information carrier can be detachably connected to the housing or surface via a mechanical connection or magnetic interaction. In this context, according to the invention, the information carrier in the information display area is detachably connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment by means of a clamping connection, or the information carrier in the information display area is detachably connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment by means of a screw connection.

[0032] In a clamp connection, the information carrier is preferably connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment by force and / or form locking, and preferably has clamping lugs that engage in recesses of the housing or surface. In a screw connection, a screw and a corresponding screw hole in the information carrier and / or a corresponding recess and / or depression for receiving the screw in the housing or surface preferably connect the information carrier to the housing or surface.

[0033] As an alternative to a detachable connection of the information carrier to the housing or surface, it can be provided that the information carrier in the information display area of ​​the personal protective equipment is permanently but movably connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment – ​​for example, via a hinge, and preferably via a swivel joint. In this context, according to the invention, the information carrier in the information display area is connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment by means of a hinge connection.

[0034] It is particularly preferred that the information carrier is designed as a plate detachably connected to the housing by means of a clamping connection in the information display area. By releasing the clamping connection, the plate can be removed from the housing and reattached to the housing in reverse, thus enabling a simple change of the state of the information display area.

[0035] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the information carrier is also provided to have a mirror-symmetrical shape, to include clamping lugs for clamping the information carrier to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment, and / or to include a recess for receiving a screw connection. The mirror-symmetrical shape of the information carrier with respect to a mirror plane perpendicular to the plane of the information carrier allows the information carrier to be easily connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment even in a rotated form.

[0036] With regard to the clamping connection, the clamping lugs are preferably arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner. It is further preferably provided that the housing or the surface of the personal protective equipment in the information display area includes recesses for the clamping lugs of the information carrier, i.e., preferably recesses corresponding to the clamping lugs.

[0037] As an alternative to designing the information carrier such that the information carrier provides information relating to the first application on its front side and information relating to the second application on its back side, the invention provides that the information carrier provides information relating to the first application, preferably information relating to the vertical application, and information relating to the second application, preferably information relating to the horizontal application, on its front side, and that the personal protective equipment in the information display area comprises a cover for the information carrier having a viewing window.In this way, the cover and viewing window can be used to easily ensure that, in the first state of the information display area, only information relating to the first application is visible through the viewing window, and in the second state, only information relating to the second application is visible through the viewing window. The other information is accordingly obscured by the cover and is therefore not visible simultaneously. The cover is preferably connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment. Preferably, the information carrier is arranged between the housing and the cover with the viewing window. The cover can also include more than one viewing window.

[0038] With regard to changing the state, the invention provides that the at least two states can be changed multiple times by rotating the information carrier about an axis of rotation perpendicular to a plane of the information carrier, or by axially moving the information carrier along an axis lying in a plane of the information carrier, and / or that the at least two states can be changed by rotating or axially moving the cover having the viewing window. In this alternative, multiple changes of state can therefore preferably be effected by rotating or axially moving the information carrier relative to the cover.

[0039] To facilitate changing the state, the information carrier in the information display area of ​​the personal protective equipment is preferably connected to the housing or surface in such a way that the information carrier is movable relative to the cover. Thus, the state of the information display area can be easily changed by moving the cover relative to the information carrier. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the information carrier in the information display area is also mounted to be axially displaceable or rotatable relative to the viewing window of the cover. In other words, the change can be effected by a rotational movement or, alternatively, by a translation.

[0040] With regard to the rotational movement, it is particularly preferred that the information carrier be designed as a disc rotatably mounted relative to the viewing window. Further preferred is that the information carrier be rotatably mounted on the housing or surface via a screw connection such that the information carrier is partially obscured by the cover having the viewing window. Thus, the disc-shaped information carrier can be rotated simply by turning the screw. In this context, a preferred embodiment of the invention further provides that the viewing window (or the multiple viewing windows of the cover) and the information carrier are designed such that either the information relating to the first application or the information relating to the second application is visible through the viewing window or the multiple viewing windows.In other words, the size and shape of the viewing window correspond to the size and shape of the information displayed on the information carrier. It is further preferred that the housing has a recess and / or depression for receiving the screw connection.

[0041] As an alternative to moving the information carrier to change its state, the cover containing the viewing window can also be moved. For example, during the changeover, the viewing window can remain unchanged relative to the cover and move with it—that is, rotate or shift axially. Thus, a different area of ​​the information carrier partially covered by the cover is visible through the viewing window each time. Alternatively, the viewing window can change relative to the cover during the changeover. For example, a sliding solution can be provided in which part of the cover can be moved along an axis via a guide rail. In this case, the viewing window is initially located on one side of the movable part of the cover, and its size decreases continuously as the cover is moved until it is no longer visible.In addition, on the other side of the cover, a new viewing window created by moving the movable part of the cover also enlarges until it reaches the size of the original viewing window.

[0042] Further technical effects and advantages of the personal protective equipment become apparent to the person skilled in the art from the description of the method for changing a state of the information display area of ​​the personal protective equipment, as well as from the description of the embodiments and the figures.

[0043] The invention further relates to a method for changing the state of an information display area of ​​personal protective equipment, wherein the personal protective equipment is configured according to the above description and in particular comprises the information display area, the information display area comprises an information carrier for displaying information of a first application and a second application of the personal protective equipment, the information display area displays exclusively information relating to the first application in a first of at least two states and displays exclusively information relating to the second application in the second state, and the display of the information display area can be switched back and forth multiple times between the at least two states, comprising the steps: Providing personal protective equipment comprising the information display area in the first or second of at least two states, changing the state of the information display area by rotating or axially displacing the information carrier, or changing the state of the information display area by rotating or axially displacing a cover having a viewing window for the information carrier.

[0044] One aspect of the invention is that the state of the information display area can be changed by rotating or axially displacing the information carrier or the cover having the viewing window for the information carrier. Thus, if in the first step the personal protective equipment, such as the fall arrest device, is provided with the information display area in the first state, and accordingly, the user can only see information relating to the first application, such as vertical use, via the information carrier, after carrying out the subsequent step the information display area of ​​the fall arrest device is in the second state, so that the user can only see information relating to the second application, such as information relating to horizontal use, via the information carrier.If, however, in the first step the fall protection device is set up with the information display area in the second state, and accordingly only information concerning the second application is visible to the user via the information carrier, then after carrying out the subsequent step the information display area of ​​the fall protection device is in the first state, so that only information concerning the first application is visible to the user via the information carrier. This prevents the user from seeing information concerning both the first and second applications of the personal protective equipment simultaneously, thus ensuring simple and safe use of the personal protective equipment.

[0045] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the information carrier provides information relating to the first application on its front side and information relating to the second application on its back side, and the information carrier is detachably connected to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment in the information display area by means of a clamping connection or screw connection, and the step of changing the state of the information display area comprises rotating the information carrier about an axis of rotation that lies in a plane of the information carrier.

[0046] The change of state is therefore preferably achieved by rotating the information carrier, which is preferably designed as a sign. If initially the front of the sign is visible to the user, after rotation the back of the sign is visible, and vice versa.

[0047] In this context, according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the method provides for the steps Detaching the information carrier from the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment, preferably using a screwdriver, and attaching the rotated information carrier to the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment by clamping or screwing the information carrier to the housing or surface. includes.

[0048] In particular, it is provided that the clamping connection is released by using a screwdriver, preferably a slotted screwdriver, or another suitable tool to pry the information carrier out of its clamping position with the housing or surface. Preferably, after rotating the information carrier exactly 180 degrees about the axis of rotation, which lies in the plane of the information carrier, the information carrier is clamped again by clamping it to the housing or surface. For this purpose, it is particularly preferred that clamping lugs of the information carrier are first guided into recesses on the housing or surface by bringing the information carrier to the housing or surface at an angle of less than 90 degrees.After subsequently tilting the information carrier towards the housing or the surface, in which the clamping lugs inserted into the recesses act as a hinge, clamping lugs opposite to the information carrier can preferably be inserted and / or clipped into further recesses on the housing or into further recesses in the surface by temporarily deforming the information carrier.

[0049] Regarding the screw connection, it is provided that the screw connection is loosened using a screwdriver or another suitable tool, and the information carrier is removed from the housing or surface. Preferably, after rotating the information carrier exactly 180 degrees about the axis of rotation, which lies in the plane of the information carrier, the information carrier is reconnected to the housing or surface by screwing it back on. For this purpose, it is preferably provided that the information carrier has a screw hole corresponding to the screw and / or that the housing or surface has a recess and / or depression corresponding to the screw.

[0050] According to an alternative further preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the information carrier provides on its front side information relating to the first application, preferably the vertical application, and information relating to the second application, preferably the horizontal application, and that the personal protective equipment in the information display area comprises a cover having a viewing window for the information carrier, and that the step of changing the state of the information display area comprises rotating the information carrier about an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to a plane of the information carrier.

[0051] The change of state is therefore preferably achieved by rotating the information carrier, which is preferably designed as a disc. Thus, if information concerning the first application is initially visible to the user through the viewing window of the cover, after rotation the information concerning the second application is visible to the user, and vice versa. In contrast to the first described alternative, this alternative does not require the information carrier to be detached from the housing or surface of the personal protective equipment to change its state. This has the advantage that the information carrier cannot be lost.

[0052] In this context, according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of rotating the information carrier about an axis of rotation includes turning a screw using a screwdriver. Preferably, the information carrier, which is designed as a disc, is rotated relative to the cover, which is preferably stationary and preferably connected to the housing or surface. Preferably, the screw that also ensures the connection of the information carrier to the housing or surface is turned. More preferably, the information carrier is rotated exactly 90 degrees until the information relating to the other application is again visible through the viewing window for the user.

[0053] Further technical effects and advantages of the method for changing the state of the information display area of ​​the personal protective equipment will become apparent to the person skilled in the art from the description of the personal protective equipment, as well as from the following description of the exemplary embodiments and the figures. Brief description of the drawings

[0054] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and by way of preferred embodiments.

[0055] They show Fig. 1 a personal protective equipment designed as a fall protection device, according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 an information carrier of the fall protection device made of Figure 1, Fig. 3 a method for changing the state of an information display area of ​​personal protective equipment designed as a fall protection device, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 4 a personal protective equipment also designed as a fall protection device, according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention. Detailed description of the implementation examples

[0056] The principle of the invention is explained below with reference to the figures, using the example of personal protective equipment designed as a fall arrest device 10. However, personal protective equipment is not limited to fall arrest devices 10, but can also be designed as a harness, helmet, lanyard, abseiling or rescue device, fall arrester, carabiner, rescue device, power ascender, and / or load securing system. Based on the following description using the example of the fall arrest device 10, those skilled in the art will understand the analogous application to other types of personal protective equipment.

[0057] Figure 1Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a fall arrest device 10 for vertical and horizontal use. The fall arrest device 10 is designed as a fall arrester and, in this preferred embodiment, comprises a connecting element 12 designed as a steel cable 12 and a carabiner 14 attached to it. The fall arrest device 10 also has a pulley integrated into a housing 16 and a cable pulley (neither of which are visible in the figures). Furthermore, an energy-absorbing damper 18 prevents the carabiner 14 from striking the housing 16 without restraint when the connecting element 12 is retracted.

[0058] As in Figure 1The fall protection device 10, as shown, also includes an information display area 20, which comprises an information carrier 22 for displaying information. The information display area 20 is designed such that in a first of at least two states, only information relating to the first application – in this case, the vertical application – is visible (in Figure 1 (The first state is not shown) and in the second state only information concerning the second application - in this case the horizontal application - is visible (as in Figure 1 (shown). The information display area 20 is designed in such a way that it is possible to switch back and forth between the two states multiple times.

[0059] In the present embodiment from Figure 1The fall protection device 10 comprises two information display areas 20, each with an information carrier 22 designed as a sign 24, wherein the information carriers are each further divided into Figure 2 The signs 24 provide information on the front 26 regarding vertical application and on the back 28 regarding horizontal application, in particular the maximum permissible weight with which the fall protection device can be loaded in the application case. The two states of the information display area 20 can be switched back and forth multiple times by rotating the information carrier 22 about a rotation axis 30, which lies in a plane of the information carrier 22.

[0060] In the present embodiment, one of the signs 24 is detachably connected to the housing 16 of the fall arrest device 10 by means of a screw connection 32. This sign 24 is as shown in Figure 2 a)The other shield 24 is recognizable as being equipped with a screw hole 34. In the present embodiment, the other shield 24 is detachably connected to the housing 16 of the fall arrest device 10 by means of a clamping connection 36. For this purpose, this shield 24 has, as in Figure 2 b) Clamping lugs 38 can be seen, which can engage in recesses of the housing 10. The signs 24 also have a mirror-symmetrical shape, with the mirror plane 40 being perpendicular to the plane of the sign 24.

[0061] With reference to Figure 3 The following describes a procedure for changing the state of the information display area 20 of the fall protection device 10. Analogous to the procedure described in Figure 1 shown fall protection device 10 and the one in Figure 2b ) shown information carrier 22, indicates the fall protection device in Figure 3A housing 16 and an information carrier 22 designed as a sign 24 are provided. The information carrier 22 is detachably connected to the housing 16 via a clamping connection 36. In a first step of the procedure, the fall protection device 10 is provided, whereby the information display area 20 is in the second state and thus provides information exclusively relating to the horizontal application.

[0062] In a further step, the information carrier 22 is detached from the housing 16 of the fall arrest device 10 using a screwdriver 42. This is done by prying the information carrier 22 out of its clamping position with the housing 16 in order to move the first clamping lugs 38a out of the recess. After the second clamping lugs 38b have been moved out of the recess and the information carrier 22 has been rotated exactly 180 degrees about the axis of rotation 30, the rotated information carrier 22 is reattached to the housing 16 of the fall arrest device 10 by clamping. For this purpose, the second clamping lugs 38b of the information carrier 22 are first guided into recesses on the housing 16.After the information carrier 22 is subsequently tilted towards the housing 16, in which the second clamping lugs 38b inserted into the recesses act as a hinge, the opposite first clamping lugs 38a are clipped into the recesses on the housing 16 by temporarily deforming the information carrier 22.

[0063] Figure 4 Figure 1 schematically shows another embodiment of a fall arrest device 10 for vertical and horizontal use. Analogous to the fall arrest device 10 from Figure 1 The fall arrest device 10 has a connecting element 12 designed as a steel cable 12 and a carabiner 14 attached to it. In addition, the fall arrest device 10 has a pulley integrated into the housing 16 and a rope pulley (neither of which are visible in the figures).

[0064] The in Figure 4 The depicted fall protection device 10 has the information display area 20, which is shown in Figure 4bThe information carrier 22, depicted as disk 44 and designed for displaying information, comprises the information display area 20. The information display area 20 is designed such that in the first of two states only information relating to the vertical application is visible, and in the second state, which is in Figure 4a ) is shown, showing only information relating to the horizontal application.

[0065] For this purpose, the information carrier 22 provides information on its front side regarding vertical application and information regarding horizontal application, and the fall arrest device 10 has a cover 48 in the information display area 20, which has a viewing window 46, for the information carrier 22. The cover 48 is connected to the housing 16 of the fall arrest device. The information carrier 22 is arranged between the housing 16 and the cover 48 with the viewing window 46. In this case, the cover 48 has two viewing windows 46.

[0066] The information display area 20 can be repeatedly switched between its two states by rotating the information carrier 22 about an axis of rotation 50 perpendicular to a plane of the information carrier 22. For this purpose, the information carrier 22 is connected to the housing 16 in the information display area 20 of the fall protection device 10 in such a way that it is movable relative to the cover 48. Specifically, the information carrier 22 is rotatably mounted on the housing 16 via a screw connection 32, such that the cover 48, which has a viewing window 46, partially obscures the information carrier 22. Furthermore, the size and shape of the viewing window 46 correspond to the size and shape of the information displayed on the information carrier 22. Thus, the state of the information display area 20 can be changed by rotating the disc-shaped information carrier 22 by 90 degrees. Reference symbol list

[0067] Fall arrest device 10 Fastener, steel cable 12 Carabiner 14 Housing 16 inlet damper 18 Information display area 20 Information carrier 22 Sign 24 front 26 back 28 Axis of rotation that lies in the plane of the information carrier 30 screw connection 32 screw hole 34 clamping connection 36 Clamping noses 38 plane of reflection 40 screwdriver 42 disc 44 Viewing window 46 cover 48 Axis of rotation that lies perpendicular to the plane of the information carrier 50

Claims

1. Personal protective equipment (10) comprising an information display area (20), wherein the information display area (20) comprises an information carrier (22) for displaying information relating to a first application and a second application of the personal protective equipment (10), the information display area (20) displays, in a first of at least two states exclusively information relating to the first application and, in a second state, exclusively information relating to the second application, wherein the display of the information display area (20) can be switched back and forth multiple times between the at least two states, and wherein a) the information carrier (22) provides information relating to the first application on its front side (26) and information relating to the second application on its rear side (28) and can be switched back and forth multiple times between the at least two states by rotating the information carrier (22) about an axis of rotation (30) lying in a plane of the information carrier (22), wherein the information carrier (22) is detachably connected to a housing (16) or a surface of the personal protective equipment (10) in the information display area (20) by means of a clamping connection (36), the information carrier (22) is connected to the housing (16) or the surface of the personal protective equipment (10) in the information display area (20) by means of a hinge connection, or the information carrier (10) is detachably connected to the housing (16) or the surface of the personal protective equipment (10) in the information display area (20) by means of a screw connection (32), or b) the information carrier (22) provides information relating to the first application and information relating to the second application on its front side (26), the personal protective equipment (10) comprises a cover (48) for the information carrier (22) in the information display area, which cover (48) has a viewing window (26), and wherein switching back and forth multiple times between the at least two states can be effected by a rotational movement of the information carrier (22) about a rotational axis (50) that is perpendicular to a plane of the information carrier (22) or by an axial movement of the information carrier (22) along an axis that lies in a plane of the information carrier (22), and / or switching back and forth between the at least two states can be effected by a rotational movement or an axial movement of the cover (48) comprising the viewing window (46).

2. Personal protective equipment (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the information carrier (22) is a non-electronic information carrier (22, 24, 44), and / or wherein the information carrier (22) is designed as a non-electronic display and / or wherein the display of the information display area (20) can be switched between the two states without supplying electrical energy.

3. Personal protective equipment (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protective equipment (10) is designed according to feature a), wherein the information carrier (22) has a mirror-symmetrical shape, wherein the information carrier (22) comprises clamping lugs (38) for clamping the information carrier (22) to the housing (16) or the surface of the personal protective equipment (10) and / or wherein the information carrier (22) comprises a recess (34) for receiving a screw connection (32).

4. Personal protective equipment (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protective equipment (10) is configured according to feature b), wherein the information carrier (22) is mounted in the information display area (20) so as to be axially displaceable or rotatable relative to the viewing window (46) of the cover (48), or wherein the information carrier is configured as a disc (44) mounted so as to be rotatable relative to the viewing window (46).

5. Personal protective equipment (10) according to any one of claims 1, 2, or 4, wherein the protective equipment (10) is configured according to feature b), wherein the viewing window (46) of the cover (48) and the information carrier (22) are configured such that either the information relating to the first application or the information relating to the second application is visible through the viewing window (46).

6. Personal protective equipment (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, configured as a fall safety protection device, a harness, a protective helmet, a connecting means, a descender or rescue device, a fall arrester, a carabiner, a rescue device, a power ascender, and / or a load securing system.

7. Method for changing a state of an information display area (20) of a personal protective equipment (10), wherein the personal protective equipment (10) is configured according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the steps: providing the personal protective equipment (10) comprising the information display area (20) in the first or the second of the at least two states; changing the state of the information display area (20) by rotating or axially shifting the information carrier (22); or changing the state of the information display area (20) by rotating or axially shifting a cover (48) for the information carrier (22), which cover has a viewing window (46).

8. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the information carrier (22) provides information relating to the first application on its front side (26) and provides information relating to the second application on its rear side (28), and wherein the information carrier (22) is detachably connected to a housing (16) or a surface of the personal protective equipment (10) in the information display area (20) by means of a clamping connection (36) or screw connection (32), and the step of changing the state of the information display area (20) comprises rotating the information carrier (22) about an axis of rotation (30) lying in a plane of the information carrier (22).

9. Method according to the preceding claim, comprising the steps of: detaching the information carrier (22) from the housing (12) or the surface of the personal protective equipment (10), preferably by means of a screwdriver (42); and attaching the rotated information carrier (22) to the housing (16) or the surface of the personal protective equipment (10) by clamping or screwing the information carrier (22) to the housing (12) or the surface.

10. Method according to claim 7, wherein the information carrier (22) provides information relating to the first application and information relating to the second application on its front side (26), and the personal protective equipment (10) comprises a cover (48) for the information carrier (22) in the information display area (20), which cover (48) has a viewing window (46), and wherein the step of changing the state of the information display area (20) comprises rotating the information carrier (22) about a rotation axis (50) that is perpendicular to a plane of the information carrier (22).

11. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the step of rotating the information carrier (22) about a rotation axis (50) comprises rotating a screw by means of a screwdriver (42).