Safety device for a motor vehicle service workplace

• US 8,487,761 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beissbarth GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Eitle, Oliver, Kastner, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US12/925,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20110133929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/540, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 340/500, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/539.1, 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/00 Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K

Abstract

A device for ensuring the safety of a motor vehicle service workplace has at least one receiver for receiving a signal emitted by at least one associated transmitter, and an evaluation device which is configured to determine on the basis of the received signal whether the at least one transmitter is located in a danger zone of the motor vehicle service workplace. The device for ensuring the safety is configured to bring devices at the motor vehicle service workplace into a safe condition when the at least one transmitter is located in a danger zone.

Claims

1. A device for ensuring the safety of a motor vehicle service workplace, comprising:

at least one receiver configured to receive a signal emitted by at least one transmitter; and

at least one evaluation device configured to (i) determine, on the basis of the signal received by the receiver, whether the at least one transmitter is located in a danger zone within the motor vehicle service workplace, and (ii) if the at least one transmitter is located in the danger zone within the motor vehicle service workplace, bring at least one device located at the motor vehicle service workplace into a safe condition.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver has at least one of a defined directional characteristic and a defined range of reception.

3. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the device is configured to determine the position of the at least one transmitter.

4. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the motor vehicle service workplace is provided with at least one of a hydraulic lift and a test bench.

5. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the device has a connection to a central computer having a memory, and wherein the danger zone is defined by coordinates stored in the central computer.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one device is at least one of switched off and moved at low speed into a safe position.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one device is at least one of switched off and moved at low speed into a safe position, and wherein the at least one device includes at least one of an electrical device and a mechanical device.

8. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one receiver has at least one of a defined directional characteristic and a defined range of reception, wherein the device is configured to determine the position of the at least one transmitter, and wherein the motor vehicle service workplace is provided with at least one of a hydraulic lift and a test bench.

9. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the device has a connection to a central computer having a memory, and wherein the danger zone is defined by coordinates stored in the central computer.

10. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver has at least one of a defined directional characteristic and a defined range of reception, wherein the device is configured to determine the position of the at least one transmitter, and wherein the motor vehicle service workplace is provided with at least one of a hydraulic lift and a test bench.

11. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the device has a connection to a central computer having a memory, and wherein the danger zone is defined by coordinates stored in the central computer.

12. A system for ensuring the safety of a motor vehicle service workplace, comprising:

at least one transmitter configured to output a signal;

at least one receiver configured to receive the signal output by the transmitter; and

at least one evaluation device configured to (i) determine, on the basis of the signal received by the at least one receiver, whether the at least one transmitter is located in a danger zone within the motor vehicle service workplace, and (ii) if the at least one transmitter is located in the danger zone within the motor vehicle service workplace, bring at least one device located at the motor vehicle service workplace into a safe condition.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the transmitter is an RFID transmitter.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the transmitter includes a satellite navigation receiver, and the signal output by the transmitter includes satellite navigation position data.

15. A method for ensuring the safety of a motor vehicle service workplace, comprising:

(a) affixing a transmitter to a person entering the area of the motor vehicle service workplace, the transmitter emitting a signal;

(b) receiving, by a receiver, the signal emitted by the transmitter;

(c) determining the position of the transmitter from the received signal; and

(d) bringing at least one device located at the motor vehicle service workplace into a safe condition when the determined position of the transmitter lies within a defined danger zone.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the at least one device located at the motor vehicle service workplace is brought into a safe condition by switching off the at least one device.