David William Conover

US Patent:

6897783, May 24, 2005

Filed:

Feb 23, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/204031

Inventors:

Shengke Zeng - Souderton PA, US
Larry L. Jackson - Morgantown WV, US
David L. Conover - Bethel OH, US

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services - Washington DC

International Classification:

G08B021/00

US Classification:

340635, 340657, 340660, 340661, 3405731, 3405391, 34053911, 34053921

Abstract:

A personal electrical injury protection system is provided which can be worn by electricians, construction workers, or other individuals working around or with low-voltage lines (i. e. generally less than about 600 volts). The personal electrical injury protection system has both a proximity warning component which provides a warning of potential electrical hazards upon close approach to the low-voltage power line and an electrical contact protection component which turns off the power upon actual electrical contact with the power line. The present personal electrical protection system relies on a radio frequency transmitter attached to the worker or person to be protected and a radio receiver/controller connected to the power line. The radio frequency transmitter has a low frequency generator which is used for electrical-contact protection and a high frequency generator which is used for proximity warning.

US Patent:

20050264427, Dec 1, 2005

Filed:

May 9, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/126009

Inventors:

Shengke Zeng - Lansdale PA, US
John Powers - Morgantown WV, US
Larry Jackson - Morgantown WV, US
David Conover - Bethel OH, US
Nancy Stout - Morgantown WV, US
Bradley Newbraugh - Fairmont WV, US

International Classification:

G08B021/00

US Classification:

340635000

Abstract:

The present disclosure concerns an electrical injury protection system for protecting individuals working on or near a power circuit. In one embodiment, the system comprises a controller that is electrically connected to a power circuit and a detector that is carried by a user working. The detector has three or more electrodes mounted on the user's body which detect the electric field induced on the body by the power circuit. The detector is operable to detect the voltage between each pair of electrodes and activate an alarm if the voltage between any electrode pair exceeds a predetermined proximity threshold. If the voltage between an electrode pair exceeds a predetermined electrical-contact threshold, the detector transmits a tripping signal to the controller to activate a tripping mechanism, which de-energizes the power circuit. In certain embodiments, the controller can be used to monitor the de-energized condition of a de-energized circuit.