Protective Clothing for Electrical Accident Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Workers in electrical systems face risks of electric shock during maintenance and inspection, as existing safety measures require another person to be present and aware of accidents to trigger emergency stops, which may not always be feasible.
Innovation Solution
A protective device integrated into clothing that detects electrical body currents and communicates with other devices to alert nearby personnel and potentially trigger emergency stops, ensuring quick action in case of an accident.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If emergency stop devices are provided to disconnect power supply in case of contact with live parts, then safety of people against electric shock is improved, but the requirement that at least one other person must be present and aware of the accident to trigger the emergency stop increases device complexity and reduces ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device enables the accident victim to trigger the emergency stop automatically through self-service. When the victim touches a live part, the body current flows through electrodes on the clothing, activating the control unit which then triggers the emergency stop switch without requiring another person's intervention. The system serves itself by using the victim's own body as part of the detection and triggering mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical system requiring another person to physically press the emergency stop button is replaced by an automatic electrical detection and triggering system. The control unit detects the body current electrically and automatically activates the emergency stop, substituting the mechanical human-triggered system with an automated electrical control system.
2Loss of time
If protective devices with automatic emergency stop triggering are implemented, then safety response time is reduced, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device integrates multiple functions into a single system: the electrodes serve both as clothing components and as current detection sensors; the control unit both monitors body current and triggers the emergency stop; the switch-off device is part of the standard electrical system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity despite the automatic triggering capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances safety by ensuring immediate notification and potential disconnection of power in case of an electrical accident, even when other people are not directly aware, thereby reducing the risk of further injuries or fatalities.
Implementation Method 1
with one electrode each being arranged on at least two extremities of the person, e.g. arms or legs, which are connected to a control device. A body current through contact with an external electrical potential is detected by the control unit via the electrodes.
Data Source
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AI summary
In order to increase the safety of a person in the region of an electrical system in relation to electric shocks when coming into contact with energised or live parts of the electrical system, according to the invention: the person wears a protective device for detecting an electrical current in the body, wherein there is also at least one other person in the vicinity of the person who has suffered an accident having a protective device or an external communications device, and a communications unit (80a) is provided on the protective device (1a) of the person (8a) who has suffered an accident; at least in the event of an electrical accident with an incorrect electrical current in the body detected by the protective device (1a), the protective device (1a) of the person (8a) who has suffered an accident establishes a communications link (81) between the communications unit (80a) of the protective device (1a) of the person (8a) who has suffered an accident and the protective device (1b) of the other person (8b), or between the communications unit (80a) of the protective device (1a) of the person (8a) who has suffered an accident and the external communications device (83b) of the other person (8b); and the protective device (1a) of the person (8a) who has suffered an accident informs the at least one other person (8b) about the electrical accident via the communications link (81).