Safety belt use detection system

Abstract

To provide a safety belt use detection system that allows long-sized hook locking means such as an existing main rope to be used as it is, and suppresses damage to components such as an IC tag when hanging a hook on the long-sized hook locking means.SOLUTION: A safety belt use detection system A includes: an IC tag 1 attached to a connection part of a hook 4a of a safety belt and a life rope 4b; and a cable 2 installed with an interval equivalent to the length of the hook 4a below long-sized hook locking means 5 installed at a high place work site for transmitting a trigger signal of the IC tag 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a safety belt use detection system for detecting whether a safety belt is being used correctly at a high-altitude work site. [Background technology]

[0002] When working at high altitudes, such as at construction sites, workers are required to wear safety harnesses to prevent falls. The safety harness comprises a belt worn around the worker's body, a lifeline connected to the belt, and a hook attached to the end of the lifeline. The worker ensures safety when working at high altitudes by wearing the belt around their body and hooking the hook onto a long hook-engaging device, such as a lifeline, installed at the high altitude work site.

[0003] In order to reliably prevent falls, it is necessary for workers to use safety harnesses correctly. In particular, since workers at high altitude work sites sometimes forget to fasten their hooks to long hook fastening means such as a lifeline, mechanisms have been proposed for detecting whether or not the hooks are fastened to long hook fastening means such as a lifeline.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a "safety management system comprising a lifeline, a hook to which a worker's safety belt is attached via the lifeline, a first IC tag attached to the hook, a first trigger signal transmitting means provided on the lifeline for transmitting a trigger signal of the first IC tag, and a first response signal receiving means for receiving a first response signal which is a response signal of the first IC tag transmitted in response to the trigger signal of the first IC tag." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5359661 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The system of Patent Document 1 requires a trigger signal transmission means to be provided on the lifeline. At high-altitude work sites such as construction sites, long hook engagement means on lifelines, etc., are often already installed. In such cases, a trigger signal transmission means must be retrofitted to the existing long hook engagement means on lifelines, etc. In other words, the system of Patent Document 1 has the problem that the existing long hook engagement means on lifelines, etc. cannot be used as is. Furthermore, when a hook is attached to a lifeline including a trigger signal transmission means, the system of Patent Document 1 has the risk of damaging the trigger signal transmission means due to, for example, a break in the electric wire of the trigger signal transmission means. Furthermore, since the system of Patent Document 1 attaches an IC tag to the hook (in the embodiment, the tip of the hook), there is a possibility that the IC tag will come into contact with the lifeline when the hook is attached to the lifeline, resulting in damage to the IC tag.

[0007] In view of the above, the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a safety belt usage detection system that can use long hook locking means of existing life ropes, etc. as they are, and that can prevent damage to components such as IC tags when hooking onto the long hook locking means. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, the following safety belt use detection system is provided. An IC tag attached to the connection between the safety belt hook and the lifeline, A safety belt usage detection system comprising: a cable that is installed below a long hook engaging means installed at a high-altitude work site at an interval equivalent to the length of the hook and that transmits a trigger signal for the IC tag. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to use long hook locking means such as existing life ropes as they are, and it is possible to prevent damage to components such as IC tags when hooking the long hook locking means. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram of a safety belt use detection system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of IC tag installation (with the installation cover open). [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an IC tag. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A safety belt use detection system according to one embodiment of the present invention is conceptually shown in Figure 1. The safety belt use detection system A shown in the figure comprises an IC tag 1, a cable 2, and a response signal receiving means 3.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 2, the IC tag 1 is attached to the connection between the safety belt hook 4a and the lifeline 4b after installation. Note that Fig. 2 shows the state in which the attachment cover 1a for attaching the IC tag 1 is open. In the example of Fig. 2, the IC tag 1 is attached to the connection between the safety belt hook 4a and the lifeline 4b by wrapping the attachment cover 1a around the safety belt. However, the configuration for attaching the IC tag 1 is not limited to this, and various well-known configurations can be used. Furthermore, the position where the IC tag 1 is attached, "the connection between the safety belt hook and the lifeline," is not strictly specified; in other words, it can be near the lower end of the safety belt hook.

[0013] Cable 2 is installed below main rope 5, which is a long hook locking means installed at high-altitude work sites, at an interval corresponding to the length of hook 4a, and transmits a trigger signal for IC tag 1. In this way, IC tag 1 is attached to the connection between hook 4a of the safety belt and lifeline 4b, and cable 2 is installed below main rope 5 at an interval corresponding to the length of hook 4a, so that when hook 4a is hung on main rope 5, as shown in Figure 1, IC tag 1 will be located near cable 2. The length of hook 4a can be understood from common technical knowledge, but is generally about 30 cm.

[0014] In this embodiment, the cable 2 alternately transmits, as trigger signals for the IC tag 1, a first trigger signal covering a first range 21 near the cable 2 and a second trigger signal covering a second range 22 wider than the first range 21, at intervals of, for example, 0.3 to 0.5 seconds. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the trigger signal for the IC tag 1 is transmitted as an AC induction magnetic field. The AC induction magnetic field, which is the trigger signal for the IC tag 1, is transmitted when an AC current applied by the transmitter 6 shown in FIG. 1 flows through the cable 2. The range of the AC induction magnetic field can be changed by changing the magnitude of the AC current applied by the transmitter 6. That is, in this embodiment, the first trigger signal covering the first range 21 and the second trigger signal covering the second range 22 are alternately transmitted by alternately changing the magnitude (large or small) of the AC current applied by the transmitter 6. Furthermore, in this embodiment, unique ID information is added to each of the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal.

[0015] The first trigger signal is for detecting whether or not the hook 4a is hooked on the lifeline 5, and the first range 21 that the first trigger signal covers can be, for example, a radius of about 30 to 50 cm, centered on the cable 2. The second trigger signal is for defining a high-altitude work area where the use of a safety harness is required, and the second range 22 that the second trigger signal covers can be, for example, a radius of about 2 to 3 m, centered on the cable 2.

[0016] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the IC tag 1. The IC tag 1 includes a magnetic field sensor unit that detects the AC induction magnetic field that serves as a trigger signal, a radio wave transmitter unit that transmits a magnetic field detection radio wave containing ID information of the detected AC induction magnetic field as a response signal when the magnetic field sensor unit detects the AC induction magnetic field, a warning unit that outputs an alarm, a control unit that controls these units, and a battery as a power source.

[0017] In this embodiment, when the magnetic field sensor unit detects an AC induction magnetic field (hereinafter referred to as the "second AC induction magnetic field"), which is a second trigger signal, but does not detect an AC induction magnetic field (hereinafter referred to as the "first AC induction magnetic field"), which is a first trigger signal, the warning unit outputs an alarm. That is, when the magnetic field sensor unit detects the second AC induction magnetic field, it determines that the IC tag 1 is present in the high-altitude work area, i.e., that a worker wearing a safety belt is present in the high-altitude work area. On the other hand, when the magnetic field sensor unit does not detect the first AC induction magnetic field, it determines that the IC tag 1 is not present in the vicinity of the cable 2, i.e., that the hook 4a is not attached to the life rope 5. That is, even though the worker is present in the high-altitude work area, the hook 4a is not attached to the life rope 5, which is considered dangerous, and the warning unit outputs an alarm. On the other hand, when the magnetic field sensor unit does not detect the second AC induction magnetic field, the warning unit does not output an alarm even if the magnetic field sensor unit does not detect the first AC induction magnetic field. In other words, if the magnetic field sensor unit does not detect the second AC induction magnetic field, it determines that the worker is not in the high-altitude work area, and determines that there is no problem even if the hook 4a is not attached to the main rope 5, so the warning unit does not output an alarm.

[0018] Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, when the magnetic field sensor unit detects an AC induction magnetic field, the radio wave transmitting unit transmits, as a response signal, a magnetic field detection radio wave including ID information of the detected AC induction magnetic field. Specifically, when the magnetic field sensor unit detects a first AC induction magnetic field, the radio wave transmitting unit transmits a magnetic field detection radio wave including the ID information (hereinafter referred to as a "first magnetic field detection radio wave"), and when the magnetic field sensor unit detects a second AC induction magnetic field, the radio wave transmitting unit transmits a magnetic field detection radio wave including the ID information (hereinafter referred to as a "second magnetic field detection radio wave").

[0019] In this embodiment, these first and second magnetic field detection radio waves are received by the response signal receiving means 3. Based on the received magnetic field detection radio waves, the response signal receiving means 3 can determine whether or not a worker is in a high-altitude work area and whether or not the hook 4a is hooked on the master rope 5, and can manage this information and output an alarm as necessary. The response signal receiving means 3 can receive the magnetic field detection radio waves transmitted from the IC tag 1 directly, as well as via a mobile terminal or the like.

[0020] Thus, according to this embodiment, by providing the IC tag 1 attached to the connection between the hook 4a of the safety belt and the lifeline 4b, and the cable 2 installed below the main rope 5 set up at a high-altitude work site at an interval corresponding to the length of the hook 4a and transmitting a trigger signal for the IC tag 1, it is possible to detect whether the hook 4a is hung on the main rope 5 while using the main rope 5 as is. In addition, it is possible to prevent the IC tag 1 from being damaged when the hook 4a is hung on the main rope 5.

[0021] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the IC tag 1 emits a first trigger signal that covers a first range 21 near the cable 2 and a second trigger signal that covers a second range 22 that is wider than the first range 21, so it is possible to determine not only whether the hook 4a is attached to the main rope 5 but also whether the worker is in the high-altitude work area. This makes it possible to take measures such as outputting an alarm only when the worker is in the high-altitude work area. Furthermore, the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal are emitted from a single cable 2, which simplifies the system configuration. Furthermore, due to its shape, the cable 2 can be easily installed along the path of the main rope 5 installed in the high-altitude work area.

[0022] In addition, this embodiment is equipped with a response signal receiving means 3 that receives the response signal (first magnetic field detection radio wave and second magnetic field detection radio wave) of the IC tag 1, so it is possible to manage information on whether or not a worker is in a high-altitude work area and whether or not the hook 4a is attached to the main rope 5, and to output an alarm if necessary.

[0023] In this embodiment, the safety belt is provided with one hook 4a, but it may also be provided with two hooks. In this case, an IC tag is attached to each hook, and it is possible to detect whether each hook is hooked on a hook locking means such as a lifeline. Furthermore, the response signal receiving means 3 obtains information on whether each hook is hooked on a lifeline, and can output an alarm if it is determined that not all hooks on the safety belt are hooked on a hook locking means such as a lifeline.

[0024] In this embodiment, a main rope 5 is shown as a long hook engagement means installed at a high-altitude work site, but other long hook engagement means installed at a high-altitude work site include not only main ropes but also handrails and scaffolding frameworks. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an AC induction magnetic field is used as the trigger signal for the IC tag 1, but other trigger signals such as radio waves may also be used. In addition, in this embodiment, two types of trigger signals, a first trigger signal and a second trigger signal, are transmitted as trigger signals for the IC tag 1, but in cases where it is not necessary to determine whether or not a worker is in a high-altitude work area, it is also possible to transmit only one type of trigger signal. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the IC tag 1 is equipped with a warning unit, but if the response signal receiving means 3 has a function to output an alarm, the warning unit of the IC tag 1 may be omitted. On the other hand, if the IC tag 1 is equipped with a warning unit, the response signal receiving means 3 may be omitted. Note that if the response signal receiving means 3 is omitted, the radio wave transmitting unit of the IC tag 1 can also be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] A Safety belt usage detection system 1. IC tag 1a Mounting cover 2 Cables 21 First Range 22 Second Range 3. Response signal receiving means 4a Safety harness hook 4b Safety belt lifeline 5. Main rope 6 Transmitters

Claims

1. An IC tag attached to a connection between the hook of the safety belt and the lifeline; A safety belt usage detection system comprising: a cable that is installed below a long hook engaging means installed at a high-altitude work site at an interval corresponding to the length of the hook, and that transmits a trigger signal for the IC tag.

2. 2. The safety belt use detection system according to claim 1, wherein the cable emits a first trigger signal that covers a first range in the vicinity of the cable as a trigger signal for the IC tag.

3. 3. The safety belt use detection system according to claim 2, wherein the cable transmits, in addition to the first trigger signal, a second trigger signal having a second range wider than the first range as a trigger signal for the IC tag.

4. 4. The safety belt use detection system according to claim 1, further comprising a response signal receiving means for receiving a response signal from the IC tag transmitted in response to the trigger signal from the IC tag.

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