Self-disengaging wearable grounding device
First Claim
1. A wearable grounding device that grounds a wearer, the grounding device comprising a wristband that is electrically coupled to a grounded object with a fastening mechanism, wherein the fastening mechanism automatically releases to separate the wristband from the grounded object in response to a force applied to the fastening mechanism and the fastening mechanism further comprises a magnetic coupling mechanism and a coupling mechanism adjacent to and electrically separated from the magnetic coupling mechanism wherein the magnetic coupling mechanism and the coupling mechanism are both coupled to the grounded object if the wristband properly contacts the wearer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is a grounding device that grounds the wearer when the wearer is in a designated area and automatically disengages when the wearer leaves the designated area. In more detail, the grounding device includes a wristband that is electrically coupled to a grounded object with a fastening mechanism, wherein the fastening mechanism automatically releases to separate the wristband from the grounded object if the wristband is outside of the designated area. Where the fastening mechanism includes a coupling mechanism (e.g., a wire), there may be a rotating device that retracts the coupling mechanism after the fastening mechanism is released. The device may be enhanced with a grounding device monitoring unit that monitors whether the grounding device is in use and a sensor that detects whether the operator is in the designated area, so that an alarm is triggered if the operator is in the designated area and the grounding device is not in use.
21 Citations
55 Claims
- 1. A wearable grounding device that grounds a wearer, the grounding device comprising a wristband that is electrically coupled to a grounded object with a fastening mechanism, wherein the fastening mechanism automatically releases to separate the wristband from the grounded object in response to a force applied to the fastening mechanism and the fastening mechanism further comprises a magnetic coupling mechanism and a coupling mechanism adjacent to and electrically separated from the magnetic coupling mechanism wherein the magnetic coupling mechanism and the coupling mechanism are both coupled to the grounded object if the wristband properly contacts the wearer.
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3. A wearable grounding device that pounds a wearer, the grounding device comprising a wristband that is electrically coupled to a grounded object with a fastening mechanism, wherein the fastening mechanism automatically releases to separate the wristband from the grounded object in response to a force applied to the fastening mechanism and the fastening mechanism comprises a magnetic material partially surrounded by a first conductive ring, wherein the magnetic material releasably couples to a ferromagnetic material that is partially surrounded by a second conductive ring so that the first and the second conductive rings contact each other, a coupling mechanism connected to at least one of the first and the second conductive rings, a third conductive ring arranged concentrically with the first conductive ring and electrically separated from the first conductive ring, a fourth conductive ring arranged concentrically with the second conductive ring and electrically separated from the second conductive ring so that the third conductive ring and the fourth conductive ring contact each other when the magnetic material attaches to the ferromagnetic material, wherein the third conductive ring and the fourth conductive ring become electrically coupled if the wristband properly contacts the wearer, and a second coupling mechanism connected to at least one of the third and the fourth conductive rings.
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14. A system for grounding an operator, the system comprising:
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a wristband; a grounded object that is electrically connected to the wristband with a fastening mechanism that includes a coupling mechanism, wherein the fastening mechanism releases to separate the wristband from the grounded object if a tension level in the coupling mechanism exceeds a threshold level, and a rotating device that retracts the coupling mechanism after the fastening mechanism is released wherein the rotating device is driven by an electric motor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A system for grounding an operator, the system comprising:
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a wristband; a grounded object that is electrically connected to the wristband with a fastening mechanism that includes a coupling mechanism, wherein the fastening mechanism releases to separate the wristband from the grounded object if a tension level in the coupling mechanism exceeds a threshold level, and mechanism is attached to a mating structure and a second end of the coupling mechanism is attached to a weight, the system further comprising; a wall having a hole through which the coupling mechanism extends so that the weight and the mating structure are located on different sides of the wall; and a rotating device located to pull the coupling mechanism toward the wall when the fastening mechanism is released, in response to a force exerted by the weight at the second end of the coupling mechanism, until the mating structure contacts the wall. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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- 28. A system for grounding an operator, the system comprising a proximity sensing unit for sensing operator presence in a designated area, the proximity sensing unit enabling one or more of a grounding device monitoring unit and a logic circuit in response to sensing operator presence, wherein the grounding device monitoring unit monitors whether the operator is electrically grounded and the logic circuit triggers an alarm if the proximity sensing unit indicates that the operator is in the designated area and the grounding device monitoring unit indicates that the wristband is not rounded.
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39. A method of grounding an operator, the method comprising electrically coupling a wristband to a grounded object with a fastening mechanism that includes a coupling mechanism, wherein the fastening mechanism automatically disengages when a tension level in the coupling mechanism exceeds a threshold level;
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retracting the coupling mechanism with a rotating device when the fastening mechanism is released; monitoring a voltage difference between the grounded object and another object that becomes grounded only when the coupling mechanism is retracted; and determining that the wristband is not grounded when the voltage difference is approximately zero. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of grounding an operator, the method comprising:
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sensing operator presence in a designated area; if the operator is present in the designated area, monitoring a wristband to determine whether the operator is electrically grounded; and triggering an alarm if the operator is not grounded.
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- 48. A wriststrap used to connect a wearer to a grounded object the wriststrap further comprising a conductive stray coupled to a first end of a conductive portion and a magnetic mating surface attached to a second end of the conductive portion wherein the magnetic mating surface magnetically fastens the wriststrap to a grounded object to maintain electrical contact between the wriststrap and the grounded object.
- 50. A wriststrap used to connect a wearer to a grounded object, the wriststrap further comprising a conductive strap coupled to a first end of a conductive portion and a ferromagnetic mating surface attached to a second end of the conductive portion wherein the ferromagnetic mating surface fastens the wriststrap to a grounded object to maintain electrical contact between the wriststrap and the grounded object.
- 52. A cord that is used for a wearable grounding device comprising a first portion with a first end coupled to a conductive cuff and a magnetic mating element attached to a second end of the first portion wherein the magnetic mating element is capable of magnetically fastening the a conductive cuff to a grounded object to maintain electrical contact between the conductive cuff and the grounded object.
- 54. A cord that is used for a wearable grounding device comprising a first portion with a first end coupled to a conductive cuff and a ferromagnetic mating clement connector attached to a second end of the first portion wherein the ferromagnetic mating element is capable of magnetically fastening a conductive cuff to a grounded object to maintain electrical contact between the conductive cuff and the grounded object.
Specification