SAFETY SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A lockout method for locking out at least one isolation element of a plant, said method including the steps of:
- (i) communicating a locking signal from a mobile unit to an electro-mechanical locking device whilst said electro-mechanical locking device is in an unlocked position, said locking signal including a unique operator identifier whereby said electromechanical locking device is moved to a locked position in response to said locking signal;
(ii) storing said unique operator identifier in said electro-mechanical locking device; and
(iii) communicating a confirmation signal from said electro-mechanical locking device to said mobile unit, said confirmation signal confirming said electro-mechanical locking device is in said locked position;
wherein, said electro-mechanical locking device isolates energy at said isolation element when said electro-mechanical locking device is in said locked position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The safety system comprises an electro-mechanical locking device (110) moveable between an unlocked position and a locked position. When the electro-mechanical locking device is in the locked position and is located on an energy isolation element (120) of a plant, energy is isolated at the isolation element. A mobile unit (130) is adapted to communicate with the electro-mechanical locking device in order to move the electro-mechanical locking device between the locked and unlocked position. When the electro-mechanical locking device is moved to the locked position a confirmation signal (260) is communicated to the mobile unit confirming that the electro-mechanical locking device is locked.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A lockout method for locking out at least one isolation element of a plant, said method including the steps of:
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(i) communicating a locking signal from a mobile unit to an electro-mechanical locking device whilst said electro-mechanical locking device is in an unlocked position, said locking signal including a unique operator identifier whereby said electromechanical locking device is moved to a locked position in response to said locking signal; (ii) storing said unique operator identifier in said electro-mechanical locking device; and (iii) communicating a confirmation signal from said electro-mechanical locking device to said mobile unit, said confirmation signal confirming said electro-mechanical locking device is in said locked position; wherein, said electro-mechanical locking device isolates energy at said isolation element when said electro-mechanical locking device is in said locked position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A lock out method for locking out at least one isolation element of a plant, said method including the steps of:
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(i) communicating a unique isolation element identifier from an isolation element identification device to a mobile unit, said isolation element identification device identifying said isolation element; (ii) storing said unique isolation element identifier in said mobile unit; (iii) communicating a locking signal from a mobile unit to an electro-mechanical locking device whilst said electro-mechanical device is in an unlocked position, said locking signal including a unique operator identifier whereby said electro-mechanical locking device is moved to a locked position isolating energy at said isolation element in response to said locking signal; (iv) storing said unique operator identifier in said electro-mechanical locking device; (v) communicating a confirmation signal from said electro-mechanical locking device to said mobile unit, said confirmation signal confirming said electro-mechanical locking device is in said locked position; (vi) storing said confirmation signal in said mobile unit; (vii) detecting, at said isolation element identification device, that energy has been isolated at said isolation element; and
, if so;(viii) communicating a confirmation signal from said isolation element identification device to said mobile unit; and (ix) storing said confirmation signal in said mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An electro-mechanical locking device for locking out at least one isolation point of a plant, said device comprising:
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a processing and data storage module; a data port in communication with said processing and data storage module; and a lock moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position under control from said processing and data storage module and in response to a locking signal received at said data port; whereby, said processing and data storage module communicates a confirmation signal to said data port data and processing module detects when said lock has been moved to said locked position. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A mobile unit adapted for communication with an electro-mechanical locking device for locking out at least one isolation element of a plant, said mobile unit comprising:
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a processing and data storage module, said processing and data storage module having a unique operator identifier stored therein; and a data port in communication with said processing and data storage module; wherein, said mobile unit is adapted to communicate a locking signal to said electro-mechanical locking device to move said electro-mechanical locking device to a locked position, said locking signal including said unique operator identifier, said mobile unit further adapted to receive a confirmation signal from said electro-mechanical locking device confirming said electro-mechanical locking device is in said locked position.
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26. A lockout system for isolating at least one isolation element of a plant, said system comprising:
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an electro-mechanical locking device moveable between an unlocked position and a locked position, said locked position isolating energy at said isolation element; and a mobile unit adapted to communicate with said electro-mechanical locking device to move said locking device between said locked position and said unlocked position; wherein, said electro-mechanical locking device moves to said locked position in response to a locking signal being communicated from said mobile unit to said electro-mechanical locking device, said electro-mechanical locking device communicating a confirmation signal to said mobile unit confirming said electro-mechanical locking device is in said locked position. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification