Personal safety radio device

• US 4,870,700 A
• Filed: 12/16/1987
• Issued: 09/26/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Selectronic Funk- und Sicherheitstechnik GmbH 17A Panroder STR
• Original Assignee: Selectronic Fund und Sicherheitsctechnik GmbH
• Inventors: Schwalb, Hans J., Ormanns, Siegfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Tokar, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US07/134,221
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 455/88, 455/89, 455/90, 455/95, 455/92, 455/100, 455/127, 455/128, 455/343, 455/344, 455/351, 340/825.49, 340/825.45, 340/870.3, 340/825.54, 340/572, 340/573, 36/139, 36/137, 36/136, 320/61
• US Class Current: 455/92
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/42 where power is generated by conversion of mechanical movement to electricity, e.g. by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/48 with transmitting devices, e.g. GSM or Wi-Fi®
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/50 with sound or music sources
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/12 with means, e.g. feelers, which in case of the presence of a body part of a person in or near the danger zone influence the control or operation of the machine F16P3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article

Abstract

The personal safety radio device is carried by the person to be protected on a mounting device, for instance incorporated in the heel of a work shoe, and includes a transmitter powered by a current source specific to the device, a receiver and an antenna arrangement. In order to ensure a high operational reliability and a long maintenance-free service life at a high range of transmission the device- specific current source is a rechargeable accumulator which may be charged by a generator arrangement including a piezo-electric converter during the operational useage of the device. The piezo-electric converter is so arranged in the work shoe that it is acted on by the weight of the person wearing the work shoe and thus converts the pressure of the weight into electrical energy.

Claims

1. In combination with a shoe, a personal safety radio device comprising:

transmission means for producing transmission signals;

at least one rechargeable accumulator constituting a current source for supplying the transmission means;

receiver means responsive to at least one predetermined frequency;

means for coupling the transmission means to the accumulator, said coupling means including a supply current circuit and switching means, wherein said receiver means is coupled to said switching means and actuates the switching means to activate the transmission means in order to close the supply current circuit between the accumulator and the transmission means when the at least one predetermined frequency is received by the receiver; and

generator means coupled to the accumulator for charging the accumulator during use of the protective radio device,

whereby a compact, mobile personal safety radio device having a high operational reliability and long service life is provided.

2. Personal safety radio device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the generator means includes a pressure converter, said pressure converter being integrated in said shoe in such a manner that it is acted on by weight of the person carrying the mounting device.

3. Personal safety radio device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the pressure converter is a piezo-electric converter which is so incorporated in a heel of the shoe that it is subject to part of the heel pressure when the person to be protected walks and converts it into an electrical voltage to charge the accumulator.

4. Personal safety radio device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the piezo-electric converter is provided with a plurality of piezo-electric cells electrically coupled together.

5. Personal safety radio device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the generator means includes an induction coil in which a current for charging the accumulator can be induced by flux linkage with an external field.

6. Personal safety radio device as claimed in claim 1 further including a rectifying circuit coupled both to said generator means and also to said rechargeable accumulator for rectifying the electrical voltage produced by the generator means and applied to the accumulator.

7. Personal safety radio device as claimed in claim 6 wherein a voltage controller is associated with the generator means.

8. Personal safety radio device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said voltage controller includes a voltage limiting circuit.

9. Personal safety radio device as claimed in claim 8 wherein a decoder for differentiating between received frequencies is associated with the receiver means.

10. Personal safety radio device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the receiver means is constructed as an externally excited component which switches the switching means on receipt of the predetermined frequency.

11. In combination with a mounting device which can be carried by a person, a personal safety radio device comprising:

transmission means for producing transmission signals;

antenna means coupled to the transmission means for emitting radio signals in dependence on said transmission signals;

at least one rechargeable accumulator constituting a current source for supplying the transmission means;

means for coupling the transmission means to the accumulator;

generator means coupled to the accumulator for charging the accumulator during use of the protective radio device in operational use, said generator means including an induction coil in which a current for charging the accumulator can be induced by flux linkage with an external field; and

whereby a compact, mobile personal safety radio device having a high operational reliability and long service life is provided.