Safety lockout systems and methods

• US 9,501,046 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Master Lock Company LLC (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Master Lock Company LLC (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalous, Scott, MacCourt, Kieran
• Primary Examiner(s): Girma, Fekadeselassie
• Application Number:
  US13/774,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20130214903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/10.41, 340/514, 340/5.3, 340/5.73, 340/5.92, 340/657, 340/660
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/48 Hasp locks hasp fastenings other than locks E05C19/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/147 using electro-magnetic technology, e.g. tags or radar
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/32 Time-recording locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses

Abstract

A lockout-tagout system for use with at least one securing item may include at least one lock for locking the securing item in place. The lockout-tagout system may further include at least one lockout tag on or near the securing item or lock. The lockout tag may have a wireless identification device. The lockout-tagout system may further include a reader configured to read the wireless identification device.

Claims

1. A lockout-tagout system comprising:

a plurality of lockout-tagout devices; and

a lockout-tagout electronics device comprising processing electronics configured to;

receive information regarding a lockout-tagout procedure for a location or device in response to reading a location tag via optical or RFID recognition;

recall the lockout-tagout procedure for the location or device corresponding with the location tag based on the information received in response to reading the location tag;

present feedback instructions to a user regarding at least one of placing and removing one or more of the plurality of lockout-tagout devices according to the lockout-tagout procedure;

read identifying information from the one or more of the plurality of lockout-tagout devices that are placed or removed as a part of the lockout-tagout procedure; and

cause the one or more of the plurality of lockout-tagout devices that are placed or removed to be associated with the location or device in a memory when the one or more of the plurality of lockout-tagout devices are determined to comply with the lockout-tagout procedure, wherein the association is made in accordance with the lockout-tagout procedure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the lockout-tagout electronics device further comprises an optical sensor configured to read the identifying information via optical recognition.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the lockout-tagout electronics device further comprises an RFID reader configured to read the identifying information via RFID recognition.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user input device, wherein the processing electronics are further configured to receive the information regarding the lockout-tagout procedure for the location or device via the user input device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lockout-tagout devices are configured to not automatically determine or communicate their state.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing electronics are further configured to process associations in memory to cause user feedback to be output in response to a lockout-tagout procedure which has not been completed or completed properly.

7. A lockout-tagout system, comprising:

a location tag having a first wireless identification device;

at least one securing item having a second wireless identification device;

at least one lock for locking the securing item in place, the lock having a third wireless identification device;

at least one lockout tag having a fourth wireless identification device; and

a reader configured to read the first, second, third, and fourth wireless identification devices of the location tag, the at least one securing item, the at least one lock, and the at least one lockout tag;

wherein the reader is configured to prompt a user to take a photograph of the lockout-tagout system upon completion of a lockout-tagout procedure; and

wherein the reader is configured to transmit the photograph to a remote system with information read from the wireless identification devices.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the reader is configured to forward information read from the wireless identification devices to a computer for processing.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the reader is configured to recall a lockout-tagout procedure from memory or from another device upon reading the location tag;

wherein the reader is configured to check information read from the wireless identification devices relative to the recalled lockout-tagout procedure.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a user identification tag having a fifth wireless identification device;

wherein the reader is configured to read the user identification tag and to associate the reads of the wireless identification devices with user.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the reader is configured to write information regarding a completed lockout-tagout procedure to the wireless identification device of the location tag.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a remote computer configured to receive information from the wireless identification devices from the reader.

13. A lockout station system for use with a plurality of lockout-tagout devices, comprising:

a lockout station housing;

a first wireless identification device associated with the lockout station housing;

a second wireless identification device associated with a lockout-tagout procedure listing for the lockout station housing; and

a reader configured to read the second wireless identification device;

wherein the reader is configured to instruct a user to check out certain of the lockout-tagout devices based on information read from the second wireless identification device;

wherein the reader is configured to check out at least one of the plurality of lockout-tagout devices using wireless communications and according to the instructions;

wherein the reader is configured to check that the at least one of the plurality of lockout-tagout devices checked out are correct lockout-tagout devices for a lockout-tagout procedure corresponding with the instructions;

wherein the reader is configured to write check out information to at least one of the first wireless identification device and the second wireless identification device.

14. The lockout station system of claim 13, wherein the reader is configured to transmit the check out information to a remote computer.

15. The lockout station system of claim 13, wherein the reader is configured to check the devices back into the lockout station housing and is configured to write check in information to the first wireless identification device and/or the second wireless identification device.

16. A location sign for use in a lockout-tagout system, comprising:

a wireless communications device; and

memory storing a unique identifier for the location sign and an identifier of a lockout-tagout procedure for use with the location sign;

wherein the unique identifier indicates at least one of a location and an equipment at the location of the location sign;

wherein the identifier of the lockout-tagout procedure indicates a list of lockout-tagout devices used in the lockout-tagout procedure; and

wherein the memory further comprises writable fields of information that indicate lockout-tagout devices from the list of lockout-tagout devices used in the lockout-tagout procedure that are coupled to the equipment.

17. The location sign of claim 16, wherein the writable fields comprise a timestamp for application of a relevant lockout-tagout device, a timestamp for removal of a lockout-tagout device, and a user identifier associated with a user conducting the application or removal of the lockout-tagout device.

18. A portable electronic device for reading lockout-tagout devices, comprising:

a transceiver configured to use wireless communications to read the lockout-tagout devices;

a display; and

a processing circuit coupled to the transceiver and the display, the processing circuit configured to recall a lockout-tagout procedure from memory responsive to receiving information read by the transceiver from an identifier of a location sign indicative of the lockout-tagout procedure for a location and to cause instruction steps to be shown on the display regarding at least one of placing or removing one or more of the lockout-tagout devices according to the lockout-tagout procedure, wherein the instruction steps comprise reading the lockout-tagout devices during the lockout-tagout procedure and checking the read lockout-tagout devices relative to the lockout-tagout procedure to determine the read lockout-tagout devices correspond with the lockout-tagout procedure.