Method and Apparatus for Protecting a Miner

• US 20170325052A1
• Filed: 07/14/2017
• Published: 11/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Strata Products Worldwide, LLC (Strata Worldwide Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Strata Products Worldwide, LLC (Strata Worldwide Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bertosh, Michael W., Berube, Michael, Norton, Kelly, Dunkin, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 11,388,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/145 using magnetic technology
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An apparatus for protecting a miner from injury by a machine in a mine includes an explosion-proof housing. The apparatus includes a proximity sensing portion disposed in the explosion-proof housing having a magnetic field source which produces a magnetic field that is used to sense a location of the miner relative to the machine. The apparatus includes a wireless communication portion disposed in the explosion-proof housing through which the magnetic field produced by the magnetic field source is changed remotely and wirelessly from outside the explosion-proof housing. A method for protecting a miner from injury by a machine. A system for protecting a miner from injury by a machine in a mine.

Claims

1. An apparatus for protecting a miner from injury by a machine in a mine comprising:

a housing;

a proximity sensing portion disposed in the housing having a field source which produces a field that is used to sense a location of the miner relative to the machine; and

a wireless communication portion disposed in the housing through which the field produced by the field source is changed remotely and wirelessly from outside the housing, the wireless communication portion in electrical communication with the proximity sensing portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the proximity sensing portion includes at least a first microprocessor, and the first microprocessor is reprogrammed remotely and wirelessly from outside the housing through the wireless communication portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a receiver through which signals to change the field are received wirelessly.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a transmitter from which transmission signals are sent wirelessly from the housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a Wi-Fi module having the transmitter and the receiver.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a Wi-Fi microprocessor in electrical communication with the Wi-Fi module.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a real-time clock in electrical communication with the Wi-Fi microprocessor which provides a timestamp for data received by the Wi-Fi microprocessor and stored in a memory of the Wi-Fi microprocessor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the wireless communication portion includes an antenna and the housing includes a gland through which the antenna extends from the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a cable port through which the Wi-Fi module is reprogrammed when the Wi-Fi module is not working properly.

10. A method for protecting a miner from injury by a machine in a mine comprising the steps of:

placing a proximity sensing portion disposed in a housing with the machine;

moving the machine in the mine; and

changing remotely and wirelessly from outside the housing through a wireless communication portion disposed in the housing a field produced by a field source of the proximity sensing portion disposed in the housing, the field is used to sense a location of the miner relative to the machine, the wireless communication portion in electrical communication with the proximity sensing portion.

11. The method of claim 10 including the step of reprogramming a first microprocessor of the proximity sensing portion remotely and wirelessly from outside the housing through the wireless communication portion.

12. The method of claim 11 including the step of receiving wirelessly through a receiver of the wireless communication portion signals to change the field.

13. The method of claim 12 including the step of transmitting wirelessly from the housing with a transmitter of the wireless communication portion housing transmission signals.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a Wi-Fi module having the transmitter and the receiver

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a Wi-Fi microprocessor in electrical communication with the Wi-Fi module.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a real-time clock in electrical communication with the Wi-Fi microprocessor, and including the step of providing a timestamp for data received by the Wi-Fi microprocessor and stored in a memory of the Wi-Fi microprocessor.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the wireless communication portion includes an antenna and the housing includes a gland through which the antenna extends from the housing.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the wireless communication portion includes a cable port, and including the step of reprogramming the Wi-Fi module through the cable port when the Wi-Fi module is not working properly.

19. A system for protecting a miner from injury by a machine in a mine comprising:

an apparatus having a housing;

a proximity sensing portion disposed in the housing having a field source which produces a field that is used to sense a location of the miner relative to the machine;

a wireless communication portion disposed in the housing through which the field produced by the field source is changed remotely and wirelessly from outside the housing, the wireless communication portion in electrical communication with the proximity sensing portion disposed on the machine in a personal-alarm device disposed on the miner,

a wireless communication network in communication with the wireless communication portion; and

a controller remote from the apparatus in communication with the network through which the controller remotely and wirelessly communicates with the apparatus to change the field produced by the field source.

20. A wireless communicator for changing a field of a field source comprising:

a receiver through which signals to change the field are received wirelessly;

a transmitter from which transmission signals are sent wirelessly;

a microprocessor in electrical communication with the transmitter and the receiver,

a memory in electrical communication with the microprocessor; and

a real-time clock in electrical communication with the microprocessor which provides a timestamp for data received by the microprocessor and stored in the memory.