FR3071652B1 - DEVICE FORMING INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT FOR PROTECTING PEOPLE EVOLVING IN AN AREA OF ELECTRICAL RISK - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention presents a device forming an individual protection device for a person likely to evolve in an area of electrical hazard presence, comprising a main body incorporating an electronic circuit, at least one inductive sensor and at least one field sensor. electrical, remotely sensing the presence of an electromagnetic wave and an alarm triggering as soon as a predetermined electromagnetic threshold and / or a safety distance is exceeded, the inductive sensor being able to detect the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave the device comprising at least two wave propagation direction indicators connected to the sensor for providing the person with information on the direction of propagation of the detected wave and / or a reversing direction instruction for the person.

Description

DEVICE FORMING INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT FOR PROTECTING PEOPLE EVOLVING IN AN AREA OF ELECTRICAL RISK

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The invention relates to the field of devices forming personal protective equipment for people operating in an electrical hazard zone.

[002] The invention relates more particularly to the use of such devices by operators involved in their professional environment, in or near installations with low or high voltages, or by persons working in the private sector on electrical installations.

[003] The invention also relates, particularly for operators involved in electrical installations at high risk to their health, a safety management system.

STATE OF THE ART AND ITS DISADVANTAGES

[004] The interventions of people in the professional or private setting on or near electrical installations present risks that can be serious for their health or their lives. Electrical accidents occur mainly during operations on low voltage or high voltage electrical installations (delivery station, cabinet, cabinet, power outlet, circuit breaker, lighting, live bare parts, etc.) during the use of power tools, or when working on or in the vicinity of overhead lines, transformer stations and buried pipelines.

[005] Unfortunately, every year, several operators die electrocuted following an intervention on an electrical installation (4000 accidents in Lrance declared in 2016).

[006] It could be determined that the first minutes following an accident are very important for the chances of survival: it is necessary to act very quickly, on the one hand by cutting the current of the installation without touching the body of the victim on the other hand by immediately warning the relief. In addition, accidents related to electricity can cause fires or explosions, which can aggravate exponentially the original accident.

[007] There are several devices for checking the presence of voltage, such as the V.A.T "Voltage Absence Checker". It allows to indicate by an audible and visual signal the presence of tension.

[008] To proceed with the V.A.T, an operator must follow a strict procedure in 5 steps "according to the French standard C18510"

• Check the E.P.I

• Port of E.P.I

• Test the V.A.T • Check presence of voltage between phase, neutral & Earth

• Test the V.A.T

[009] In the absence of detected voltage, the technician can intervene safely.

In case of voltage detected, the technician must set up the necessary means for the consignment.

This VAT device gives a relatively good satisfaction since it has been integrated by the operators as part of their intervention process.

However, it has various disadvantages since it is entered before the intervention and unsolicited during the intervention while the surrounding conditions in terms of voltage could change.

In addition, it is not equipped with an emergency warning means in the event of exposure of the operator to an electrical risk, while the first minutes after an accident are very important for the chances survival; a victim with an intensity of 30 mA for 30s, with significant risk of ventilatory paralysis.

It is therefore necessary to act very quickly, on the one hand by cutting the current, without contact with the body of the victim to avoid electrocution of the person wishing to help, and secondly by immediately preventing the rescue.

However, in the face of the distress of the person electrified, and given the stress that it generates for the person wishing to help, the latter is even less able to identify the source of the current to be cut , to be sufficiently operational to cut it, within a period of less than 30 seconds while preventing the rescue.

Document US 2003 011 484 proposes an individual protection device that can supplement the action of the VAT and that can be used by electricians, construction workers or other persons working around or with low voltage lines. (i.e., generally less than about 600 volts). The Personal Electrical Injury Protection System in accordance with this document includes both a proximity warning component to warn of potential electrical hazards during a hazardous approach to the low-voltage power line and the electrical safety hazard. an electrical contact protection component which de-energizes the power line. The personal electrical protection system is based on a radiofrequency transmitter attached to the worker or person to be protected and a radio receiver / controller connected to the power line to be cut. The radio frequency transmitter has a low frequency generator that is used for protection against electrical contacts and a high frequency generator that is used for proximity warning.

However, this device certainly allows to warn of the presence of risk but is tacit on its importance.

US 6 329 924 relates to a medallion to be fixed on the helmet of the operator who wears it so continuously. The medallion is provided with a portable electric field detector and includes an electric field sensitive sensing circuit for generating a signal that varies in proportion to the force of the sensed field and an alarm circuit coupled to the sensing circuit to produce a signal. intermittent audible alarm signal, which has a variable repetition rate proportional to the strength of the field and a visible alarm signal.

This medallion informs the operator on the strength of the detected voltage and therefore on the importance of the risk to which it is exposed but leaves it without information allowing it to get out of the dangerous zone detected.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome these drawbacks, the invention proposes a device forming an individual protection device for a person likely to evolve in a zone of electrical hazard presence, comprising a main body incorporating an electronic circuit, at least one inductive sensor and at least one electric field sensor, remotely sensing the presence of an electromagnetic wave and an alarm triggering as soon as a predetermined electromagnetic threshold and / or a safety distance is exceeded.

For this purpose, and according to a first aspect, the inductive sensor is able to detect the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave, the device comprising at least two wave propagation direction indicators connected to the sensor to provide to the person information on the direction of propagation of the detected wave and / or a reversing direction instruction for the person. The invention may furthermore exhibit one or more of the following interesting aspects: the inductive sensor is of the three-axis inductive sensor type such as a Hall effect sensor and the wave propagation direction indicators electromagnetic are connected to the sensor to indicate different information when the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave is detected as evolving along the three axes. the device comprises a plurality of inductive sensors arranged at different locations within the main body and the direction indicators are arranged at different corresponding locations so as to indicate the direction in which the wave is detected and / or a reversing direction setpoint for the 'operator. the inductive sensors are four in number and arranged along the cardinal points. the propagation direction indicators of the wave are of the visual indicator type such as diodes.

The device comprises modules for processing the signal and / or triangulating the measurements made by the sensor (s) and / or sound sensors in order to refine the determination of the direction of propagation of the wave carried out by the sensors and / or to measure characteristic quantities thereof such as the speed of propagation and / or the duration of exposure of the person to the wave, the main body of the device is flexible so as to be able to follow the movements of a member of a person and the electronic circuit has a flexibility compatible with the flexibility of the main body the electronic circuit is overmolded on the main body the electronic circuit is separable from the main body being inserted without attachment to a pocket secured to the main body the main body is under the shape of a glove the device includes a battery storage energy ensuring its operation, rechargeable by t wireless energy transmission the device includes a heart rate sensor protruding from one of the outer surfaces of the main body so that it can come into contact with the person's skin to measure the person's heart rate. the device comprises a control unit for verifying the correct positioning of the device collecting and analyzing the measurements of the heart rate sensor and emitting a signal if the measured heart rate does not conform to a predetermined profile. the device comprises a current sensor projecting from one of the outer faces of the main body so as to come into contact with the person's skin in order to measure whether the current flowing through the person has exceeded a threshold value. the device comprises geolocation means and remote communication means with an external terminal for communicating to the terminal the coordinates of a person when the threshold value has been reached or a non-compliant heart rate profile has been detected. The invention also relates to a safety management system in an area including an installation traversed by an electric voltage and whose electric current is likely to be interrupted by a breaker with reset / reset handle, the system comprising the device and an independent module to be mounted on the circuit breaker to change its state by acting on the cut / reset lever, the module incorporating a movable actuator between a rest position and an active position of movement of the circuit breaker handle to the position of cut-off, and means of remote communication with the device, so as to switch to the active break-out position of the circuit-breaker when a current exceeding a threshold value is detected by the current sensor or a heart rate profile which is not in conformity with been measured by the heart rate sensor. The invention also relates to a system comprising a vehicle moving in the zone, such as a nacelle cabin, whose movements can be interrupted by an emergency stop button type "stop nacelle", and an independent module to mount the emergency stop button of the vehicle to modify its state by acting on the cut / reset lever, the module integrating a movable actuator between a rest position and an active position of movement of the button to the position emergency stop, and means of remote communication with the device, so as to switch to the active position of emergency stop of the movements of the vehicle when a current exceeding a threshold value is detected by the current sensor or a non-compliant heart rate profile was measured by the heart rate sensor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, made with reference to the appended figures, in which: FIG. 1 represents a front side view (a), a rear side ( b), from above (c) and in perspective (d) a first variant embodiment of a device forming an individual protective equipment of an operator according to the invention in the form of a medallion, FIG. medallion of Figure 1 seen from below, Figures 3 to 7 show an independent module to be mounted on a circuit breaker or on a nacelle stop to cut off the power source of an electrical installation on which an operator must intervene or for stop the progression of the cabin of the nacelle if the operator is detected by the medallion as having been electrified, seen in front perspective (figure 3), seen in rear perspective (figure 4), seen from behind (Figure 5), seen from the side (Figure 6), seen from above (Figure 7), Figures 8 to 10 show the cut-off module in place on a circuit breaker seen from the side (Figure 8) seen in perspective slightly to the side ( FIG. 9), and in place on a "stop-nacelle" button (FIG. 10), FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate operating diagrams of the safety management system according to two variant embodiments, FIG. 13 represents a second variant embodiment of a device forming an individual protective equipment of an operator according to the invention in the form of a medallion of the device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In relation to the accompanying figures, there is described a first aspect of the invention which relates to a device forming an individual protective equipment of an operator involved in the professional setting on a risk electrical installation (Figures 1 to 12). and a device for protecting a person working in the private setting on an electrical installation (Figure 13).

In the first case of protection of an operator involved in the professional setting on a risk electrical installation, the device according to the invention may take the form of a medallion 1 to be fixed preferentially on the wrist of the operator by means of a bracelet, but which can be fixed on the ankle, via an ankle, or on the head of the operator via a safety helmet, the size of this one via a belt.

The medallion is in the non-limiting form of a substantially parallelepipedal housing defining an upper control face 2, a lower face of contact with the operator 3 and side facets 4.

This housing incorporates at least one electric field sensor (not shown) and at least one inductive sensor remotely sensing the presence of an electromagnetic wave, connected to an electronic circuit for acquiring measurements made, integrating into a memory storing values of reference thresholds for low voltage, high voltage, current and maximum exposure time thereto. The electronic circuit is connected to a visual and / or audible and / or vibratory alarm integrated into the housing which is triggered when an electric field exceeding a threshold value is detected at a distance less than or equal to a minimum safety distance.

The housing comprises on its upper face a stop button, and a button for selecting the voltage range to which the operator is likely to be exposed, so that the corresponding prerecorded thresholds of safety distance and amplitude voltage are selected.

According to the invention, the inductive sensor or sensors used are selected capable of detecting the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave (for example of the Hall effect type), and the medallion comprises at least two propagation direction indicators of the wave connected to the inductive sensor to provide the operator with information on the direction of propagation of the detected wave and / or a reversing direction instruction for the person.

More specifically, as shown in Figure 1c, the upper face of the medallion comprises four visual indicators 6 which may be light emitting diodes (the acronym LED will be used), arranged according to the four cardinal points. Four Hall effect sensor inductive sensors and thus intrinsically having the ability to detect the propagation direction of the wave, are connected to the diodes via the electronic circuit of the medallion. The electronic circuit of the medallion performs a mathematical processing of the signals measured by the four hall effect sensors which makes it possible to determine the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave and this propagation direction information is converted into a visual indication by the diodes, which can selectively be turned on according to the determined direction of propagation. A diode can be programmed to materialize by lighting up, the location of the danger, or on the contrary, materialize by lighting the location of the least danger and the recommended direction of withdrawal of the limb (arm, head or leg) of the operator .

This avoids once the danger information has been communicated to the operator, he reacts badly against the latter by exposing himself more to this danger.

The determination of other parameters on the detected electromagnetic wave, such as its propagation speed may be obtained through the signal processing and / or be refined through triangulation.

Another solution of the invention for determining the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave is to use not several inductive sensors with hall effect, but a single magnetic three-axis sensor. In this case, this three-axis magnetic sensor 7, preferably used for the embodiment intended for the general public, and illustrated in FIG. 13, will be associated with three diodes indicating respectively the forward / backward, lateral and above / in directions. below.

It is also possible to combine within the same medallion, the different types of magnetic sensors: [0034] For low voltage, the medallion will be equipped with four three-axis magnetic field sensors. Depending on the detection axis, an LED will light up to alert the speaker and indicate the direction of the magnetic field (for example, a single LED that lights up when the live part is detected remotely and without contact, if the LED 61 of Figure l lit, it means that the live part is in front and that to avoid direct contact, the operator must back). The sensors will be configured to ideally detect only low voltage electrical parts at a distance of less than 30 cm.

For high voltage, the medallion will be equipped with a magnetic field sensor with high sensitivity 3 axes and in case of detection, the four LEDs will light up. Or, the medallion will be equipped also for the high voltage of several sensors of magnetic fields with high sensitivity to indicate precisely the direction of the danger. The sensor should ideally only detect high voltage electrical parts at a distance of less than 2 m.

The sensors of the medallion will be high sensitivity to detect the electrical cables under voltage at a distance according to the standard NE C18-510:

Low voltage, 0 to 1000V: 30 cm

High voltage, 1000V to 50000V: 2 m [0037] On its underside, the medallion 1 comprises projecting thereof, a current sensor 8 intended to come into direct contact with the skin of the operator, passing to through an opening in the support (bracelet, ankle, helmet, belt ...) on which is mounted the medallion, and a heart rate sensor 9 also projecting from the rear face, to come into contact with the operator and measure his heart rate.

The presence of the current sensor on the locket and keeping it in contact with the operator can detect if it has been a victim of an electrical accident and was traversed by a current, to measure the current to which it has been exposed and the time of this exhibition, which may be recorded in the memory of the electronic circuit or communicated to a remote database.

The current sensor and the local alarm medallion cooperate via the electronic circuit, to trigger the local alarm as soon as a predetermined current threshold and / or as soon as a safety distance and / or a time of exhibition is / are crossed.

The medallion will also be provided with suitable telecommunication means, RF antenna type, bluetooth®, wifi to communicate as soon as the local alarm of the medallion is triggered due to current detection exceeding the threshold, a remote alarm to a remote security terminal, such as a terminal or a guard station server, a mobile terminal of a site manager or a backup means terminal.

According to FIGS. 3 to 9, a module external to the medallion may be mounted upstream of the intervention of the operator on the circuit breaker of the power supply of the installation or the zone on which it is operating, in order to 'modify its state by acting on the shut-off / reset lever to cut off the power supply immediately or at the latest within five seconds of detection of an electrical accident by the current sensor of the medallion.

This module is in the general form of an open box 11 defining in cross section a C shape whose ends 12 fit above and below the circuit breaker (see Figures 8 and 9) and whose central portion is provided with a projecting actuator 13 of compressive spring type between a constrained high rest position in which it leaves the lever 14 free to occupy the reset position (Figures 8 and 9), to a low position released in which it forces the lever 14 of the circuit breaker to adopt a cutoff position thus cutting off the power supply. Two lateral tabs L-shaped cross section 16, better visible in Figures 5 and 7 allow a lateral blocking of the module on the circuit breaker.

The medallion and the cutoff module communicate via intrinsic communication means of the RL wave type to trigger the movement of the actuator when a critical current threshold has been measured by the current sensor of the medallion.

The module of the invention may also be mounted on an emergency stop button of a vehicle such as a nacelle cabin moving in height as soon as a critical current threshold has been measured by the current sensor of the medallion.

The actuator 13 moving to its active position will engage the emergency stop button 16 to control the stopping of the cabin in accordance with Figure 10.

The module 11 may also be provided with a "test" button 17 mechanically connected to the actuator to move it when it is activated, from the inactive prestressed position, to the active position, and which will allow check the correct operation of the actuator manually and reset the actuator before the intervention.

Referring to Figure 11, the safety management method implemented by the system according to the invention is described: [0048] In accordance with the insert a) prior to its operation, the operator sets up a first security module 11 on the circuit breaker of the power supply of the installation where it must intervene, and if necessary, a second module on the emergency stop button of the displacements of the cabin (for example a nacelle) qu he must borrow during the intervention.

At the beginning of the intervention in electrical medium (inset b) the operator with his medallion as described above 1 selects the voltage range of his intervention by activating the button of the medallion provided for this purpose (low voltage or high tension).

This selection will establish the critical voltage thresholds, and the minimum safe distances to be respected which will be used as instructions for triggering alarms during the intervention (inset c).

The proper establishment of the medallion will be initially verified (inset 1) by following the measurements provided by the heart rate sensor 9: if no heart rate is detected at this stage, it is that the back and current sensors and / or heart rate are not in contact with the operator and it can be expected that a local alert (LED, audible signal or buzzer medallion) sounds as the operator n did not reposition the medallion properly.

Throughout the intervention, the measurements of the heart rate sensor will be tracked (inset m) and if a low or high threshold is reached or exceeded, a remote alert will be issued via the communication means of the medallion to safety coordinators provided for this purpose (Supervisor, prevention officer, operator nearby, rescue) with sending the GPS position of the operator according to the geolocation means of the medallion.

In parallel, the monitoring of compliance with the security zone will be monitored in real time by taking measurements of the electric field, the magnetic field amplitude and the electromagnetic wave direction, and deducing the current distance from the operator with respect to a voltage source. If a set safety distance is not respected, a local alert will be triggered on the medallion (insets d and h) to warn the operator of the presence of danger. In addition, the LEDs provided on the upper side of the medallion will provide information on the location of the danger and / or on the direction of withdrawal / recoil to adopt (the operator having previously been trained to interpret the signals of the LEDs).

As soon as an alert of this type has been locally triggered, the magnetic field measurements, distance and exposure time will be recorded in a database (box i) and notifications including this information and contact information. operator as provided by the medallion, will be sent to security assistants provided for this purpose, via the medallion's communication means.

In parallel, if the current sensor of the medallion detects a current exceeding a threshold value, a local alert is triggered (insert d), the evolution of the recorded current to know the duration and the amplitude of the exposure ( box g) and a notification sent to safety coordinators and prevention officers, together with the operator's geolocation data. The modules installed on the circuit-breaker and on the nacelle cutter will eventually cut off the power supply to the installation / part and that of the nacelle cabin in a short time (less than 5 seconds).

[0056] Figure 12 illustrates more precisely how alert information notifications are communicated depending on whether there is a network type 4G or not. If there is one, the medallion will communicate with the safety assistants terminals via this network the notifications and GPS coordinates (inset j) relative to electrification accidents as detected by the current sensor (inserts dg) and / or to non-compliance with security zone (inserts d, h, i above), and / or in case of abnormal heart rate detected (not shown).

Ideally, the medallion may use a mobile terminal of the operator as a communication relay with the terminals of the assistants. Operator terminals may be provided with a mobile application that will collect important notifications and information (real-time GPS coordinates), and those of security assistant terminals, a corresponding mobile application, using a protocol Secure HTTPS guaranteeing the confidentiality of the data that will pass between these terminals via a dedicated secure server. The application loaded on the terminals of the security assistants can restore in the form of tables, graphs, map data collected. This will make it possible to track the number of incidents over a period of time and to view the details provided during each incident. It will also be possible to follow in real time (at a defined rate) the position of the medallions and their status (connected or not) if the mobile application communicates this data. It is also possible to set the sending of mails / sms to security managers when receiving certain alerts (electrification, entry into a perimeter ...).

The supply of the medallion can be performed by a battery, a rechargeable battery or by transmitting the surrounding energy wireless (heat, movement, light rays), via a cigarette lighter or sector through a micro-port. usb.

Figure 13 shows a consumer version of the device according to the invention in that the device is not connected to a power supply module / nacelle, or safety assistants. This device is in the form of a flexible glove 20 of electrical insulating material so as to enhance the comfort and dexterity of the wearer.

The electronics with the exception of magnetic field sensors and electric field sensors, and their links, will be carried by a portion attached to the glove, forming a sleeve 21 which is reversibly joined (for example by a scratch ) at the lower end of the glove. This sleeve will carry the electronic circuit which will ideally present a flexibility compatible with the flexibility of the glove, the LEDs, the on / off button. The separation of most of the electronics from the rest of the glove will allow monomatiere recycling.

According to another embodiment, the flexible printed circuit may be inserted into a pocket and overmolded on the glove during its manufacture.

Claims (10)

1. Device forming an individual protection device for a person likely to evolve in an electrical voltage presence zone, comprising a main body incorporating an electronic circuit, at least one inductive sensor and at least one electric field sensor, capturing remote the presence of an electromagnetic wave and an alarm that triggers as soon as a predetermined electromagnetic threshold and / or a safety distance is exceeded, the inductive sensor being able to detect the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic wave, the device comprising at least two wave propagation direction indicators connected to the sensor for providing the person with information on the direction of propagation of the detected wave and / or a reversing direction instruction for the person. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the inductive sensor is of the three-axis inductive sensor type and the propagation direction indicators of the electromagnetic wave are connected to the sensor so as to indicate different information when the direction of propagation. of the electromagnetic wave is detected as evolving along the three axes. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of inductive sensors arranged at different locations within the main body and the direction indicators are arranged at different corresponding locations so as to indicate the direction in which the wave is detected and / or a reversing direction instruction for the operator. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising modules for processing the signal and / or triangulation of measurements made by the sensor (s) and / or sound sensors to refine the determination of the direction of propagation of the wave performed by the sensors and / or measuring characteristic quantities thereof such as the speed of propagation and / or the duration of exposure of the person to the wave. 5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body is flexible so as to follow the movements of a limb of a person and the electronic circuit has a flexibility compatible with the flexibility of the main body 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a heart rate sensor protruding from one of the outer faces of the main body so as to come into contact with the skin of the person in order to measure the person's heart rate. 7. Device according to the preceding claim, comprising a control unit for verifying the proper placement of the device collecting and analyzing the measurements of the heart rate sensor and emitting a signal if the measured heart rate does not conform to a predetermined profile. . 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a current sensor projecting from one of the outer faces of the main body so as to come into contact with the skin of the person in order to measure if the current flowing through the person has exceeded a threshold value. 9. A safety management system in an area including an installation with an electrical voltage and whose electrical current is likely to be interrupted by a circuit breaker 14 with the device comprising the device according to one of the following: any of the three preceding claims and an independent module to be mounted on the circuit breaker to modify its state by acting on the cut / reset lever, the module incorporating a movable actuator between a rest position and an active position of movement of the joystick from the circuit breaker to the off position, and means for remote communication with the device, so as to switch to the active circuit breaker breaking position when a current exceeding a threshold value is detected by the current sensor or a profile. Non-compliant heart rate was measured by the heart rate sensor. 10. System according to the preceding claim, comprising a vehicle moving in the area, such as a nacelle cabin, whose movements can be interrupted by an emergency stop button type "stop nacelle", and an independent module to mount on the emergency stop button of the vehicle to change its state by acting on the cut / reset lever, the module incorporating a movable actuator between a rest position and an active position of movement of the button to the emergency stop position, and means of remote communication with the device, so as to move to the active position of emergency stop of the movements of the vehicle when a current exceeding a threshold value is detected by the sensor of current or a non-compliant heart rate profile was measured by the heart rate sensor.