Physical agents directive dosimeter system

• US 7,210,356 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Bernhagen, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ROSE MARY
• Application Number:
  US11/060,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20060185434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 735/79
• US Class Current: 73/661
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/14 Measuring mean amplitude; Measuring mean power; Measuring time integral of power

Abstract

A portable physical agents directive (PAD) dosimeter system may be provided. The portable PAD dosimeter system may include a housing and at least one accelerometer configured to generate electrical signals corresponding to a vibration exposure of an operator of a work machine. The portable PAD dosimeter system may also include a controller disposed in the housing configured to process the electrical signals and to determine whether the vibration exposure is above a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A portable physical agents directive (PAD) dosimeter system, comprising:

a housing configured to be selectively mounted on a part of a machine;

at least one accelerometer mounted inside the housing to generate electrical signals based on vibrations experienced by the housing, which correspond to a vibration exposure of an operator of the machine; and

a controller contained in the housing and configured to process the electrical signals and to determine whether the vibration exposure is above a predetermined threshold.

2. The portable PAD dosimeter system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is either a PAD action threshold or a PAD limit threshold.

3. The portable PAD dosimeter system according to claim 1, further including:

an I/O port configured to allow the controller to exchange data with an external microprocessor based device.

4. The portable PAD dosimeter system according to claim 1, further including:

a display device configured to indicate whether the vibration exposure is above either a PAD action threshold or a PAD limit threshold.

5. The portable PAD dosimeter system according to claim 1, wherein the housing is mounted on a base of a seat for an operator of the machine.

6. A machine, comprising:

an engine configured to provide power to the machine;

a portable physical agents directive (PAD) dosimeter fitted to the machine, the portable PAD dosimeter including;

at least one sensor to generate electrical signals corresponding to a vibration exposure of an operator of the machine, and

a controller configured to process the electrical signals and to determine whether the vibration exposure is above a PAD threshold; and

a separate on-board control system coupled with the portable PAD dosimeter via a data link to exchange information with the portable PAD dosimeter.

7. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the portable PAD dosimeter further includes:

a display device to indicate to the operator whether the vibration exposure is above a PAD threshold.

8. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one accelerometer.

9. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the portable PAD dosimeter further includes at least one microphone and at least one processing module to determine a noise level of the machine based on the microphone.

10. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the on-board control system further includes a wireless communication module for establishing a communication path to transfer PAD compliance information from the portable PAD dosimeter to a location remote from the machine.

11. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the on-board control system is configured to control vibration producing components of the machine to reduce whole body vibration of the machine.

12. The machine according to claim 11, wherein the on board control system is configured to control vibration by reducing an operating speed of the engine.

13. A dealer service network having one or more machines according to claim 6, the dealer service network further including:

one or more servers configured to automatically collect PAD compliance information from either the on-board control system or the portable PAD dosimeter.

14. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the on-board control system is further configured to:

initialize the portable PAD dosimeter system;

start a measurement timer to set a work shift period for the portable PAD dosimeter system;

receive a request from the operator to measure the vibration exposure of the operator; and

read measurement data from the portable PAD dosimeter.

15. The machine according to claim 14, the on-board control system is further configured to:

perform calculation based on the measurement data; and

determine whether the vibration exposure is above one of a PAD action threshold and a PAD limit threshold.

16. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a request from the on-board control system;

determine whether the request is a control request or a data request;

perform, if the request is a control request, an action corresponding to the control request; and

transfer data to the on-board control system if the request is a data request.