Switched alert circuit for fireman's breathing system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Equipment designed to be worn by a hazardous environment worker, comprising:
- a PASS (personal alert safety system) that must be activated so it can generate an alarm signal in the event of detection of an emergency situation,said PASS including a first device that is constructed to sense an emergency situation that is life-threatening and that generates a first signal only upon such sensing, and a second device that automatically generates said alarm signal when it senses said first signal;
switch means mounted on said equipment for receiving switch-operating force as said equipment is worn and to not receive force when said equipment is not worn;
a circuit which is responsive to operation of said switch means, to activate said PASS to automatically generate said alarm signal only upon sensing of an emergency situation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Safety equipment is described for use by firemen which includes an air tank (42, FIG. 2), a harness (14), a face mask (16), and a PASS (personal alert safety system 20), which assures that the PASS will be activated whenever the equipment is worn. The equipment includes a switch system with at least one switch (31-35) mounted on the equipment at a position to receive force as the equipment is mounted on the fireman, to set or actuate the PASS. The switch (31-34) can sense the force of the equipment against the fireman'"'"'s body, and/or the switch (35) can sense buckling of a harness belt (48).
69 Citations
9 Claims
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1. Equipment designed to be worn by a hazardous environment worker, comprising:
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a PASS (personal alert safety system) that must be activated so it can generate an alarm signal in the event of detection of an emergency situation, said PASS including a first device that is constructed to sense an emergency situation that is life-threatening and that generates a first signal only upon such sensing, and a second device that automatically generates said alarm signal when it senses said first signal; switch means mounted on said equipment for receiving switch-operating force as said equipment is worn and to not receive force when said equipment is not worn; a circuit which is responsive to operation of said switch means, to activate said PASS to automatically generate said alarm signal only upon sensing of an emergency situation. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A breathing system designed to be worn by a hazardous environment worker, which includes an air tank, a harness device for mounting the air tank on the worker, a face mask device which is mountable on the head of the worker and which is connected by a hose to the air tank, and alarm apparatus which senses movement of the worker and which generates an alarm signal if the worker does not move during a predetermined period of time, when the apparatus is set, comprising:
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at least one activatable switch mounted on at least one of said devices and coupled to said alarm apparatus to set it; said switch has a force-sensing part positioned to be activated by a force applied directly from the body of a worker to said force-sensing part of said switch. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A method for operating a PASS (personal alert safety system) that is located on breathing equipment, when the breathing equipment is mounted on a hazardous environment worker, comprising:
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sensing the mounting of the breathing equipment on a worker, and activating said PASS automatically in response to said step of sensing; operating said PASS to generate an alarm signal upon sensing of a life-threatening situation for a worker wearing the breathing equipment, only upon sensing the mounting of the breathing equipment on a worker.
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7. Equipment designed to be worn by a hazardous environment worker comprising;
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a PASS (personal alert safety system) that must be activated so it can generate an alarm signal in the event of detection of an emergency situation; a plurality of switches each mounted on said equipment at a position to receive switch-operating force as said equipment is mounted on a worker; a circuit which is responsive to operation of said at least one switch, to activate said PASS; said equipment comprises an air tank back pack assembly with a lower location that presses against the lower back of the worker and a harness that includes a waist belt having a pair of waist belt strap parts extending from said back pack and having joinable belt buckle locations to encircle the worker'"'"'s waist, and a pair of shoulder straps extending from said back pack and having locations designed to be supported on the worker'"'"'s shoulders and having ends that are joinable to said waist belt; each of said plurality of switches is a force sensing switch and each of said switches is mounted at a different one of said locations; said circuit is constructed to actuate said PASS only upon the actuation of a plurality of said switches.
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8. Equipment designed to be worn by a hazardous environment worker comprising;
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a PASS (personal alert safety system) that must be activated so it can generate an alarm signal in the event of detection of an emergency situation; at least one switch mounted on said equipment; a circuit which is responsive to operation of said at least one switch, to activate said PASS; said equipment includes an air tank assembly and a harness, said harness including a pair of waist strap parts having belt buckle ends, and said switch is mounted on a first of said belt buckle ends to be operated when said belt buckle ends are buckled together.
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9. A method for operating a PASS (personal alert safety system) that is located on breathing equipment, when the breathing equipment is mounted on a hazardous environment worker, comprising:
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sensing the mounting of the breathing equipment on a worker, and activating said PASS automatically in response to said step of sensing; said equipment includes a tank of compressed breathing gas and a harness which includes shoulder straps and a belt with a belt buckle that includes a pair of mateable buckle ends; said step of sensing the mounting, includes sensing the mating of said buckle ends.
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Specification