GB2254528A

GB2254528A - Miners lamp communicator

Info

Publication number: GB2254528A
Application number: GB9105800A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Christopher Gilhooley
Original assignee: AXL SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: AXL SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 1991-03-19
Filing date: 1991-03-19
Publication date: 1992-10-07
Also published as: GB9105800D0

Abstract

A lamp comprises a battery 10, a lamp and a communicator 15. Communicator 15, which may be a radio, ultrasonic or optical transponder, receiver or transmitter, is housed within a cover 12 of the battery 10 or the lamp casing, and an antenna 16 for the tag 15 extends along a cable 14 which feeds power from the battery 10 to the lamp. In use, the communicator 15 transmits data such as its identity number, date and time, for location purposes, for instance to aid searching after a mine collapses. The intimate connection between the lamp and the communicator prevents the communicator from being discarded. <IMAGE>

Description

Cap Lamp Communicator This invention relates to a cap lamp communicator.

All underground workers such as miners have to wear cap lamps clipped to their safety helmets. The power for the cap lamp is derived from a battery worn on the belt of the miner.

When not in use the battery is re-charged at the pit-surface.

It is often a problem to locate miners whilst underground, for instance in an emergency or simply to determine where they are working.

Radio tags are known, which emit a signal which is detected by a sensor. The sensor feeds the received data back to the pit surface, where it is decoded to determine the location of the tag.

These tags are small in size and are self-powered by an internal battery. Owing to their small size, the receive/transmit antennae are correspondingly small.

Underground attenuation and interference of the signal is a problem, because of both the surrounding rocks and machinery.

The small antennae used are not able to receive or transmit at a suitable power to overcome this attenuation and interference.

Miners are opposed to wearing devices which can be used to track their movement, therefore they commonly break the tags which they are wearing.

We have now designed a communicator, which is tamperproof and is small in size, yet has an antenna which is able to receive and transmit at appropriate power.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a lamp communicator comprising a communicator tag, a lamp and a battery, wherein the antenna for the communicator is contained within the cable which feeds power from the battery to the lamp.

Further it is desirable that the communicator tag itself is inaccessible to the wearer, and housed in a safe place where it is protected from accidental damage.

Thus in accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a battery for a lamp, comprising a communicator tag housed within a casing for the battery.

Further in accordance with a third aspect of the invention there is provided a lamp, comprising a communicator tag disposed within a housing for the lamp.

The communicator is arranged to communicate with a base station via satellite receivers which may be distributed around the area being supervised.

The tags may either receive, transmit or both receive and transmit. The communication medium may comprise any form of electromagnetic radiation e.g. infra-red or ultra-sonic, however the device preferably communicates within the radio range of frequencies, and preferably in this case its antenna is incorporated within the cable to the lamp.

The communicator tag preferably derives its power from the lamp battery, which may be worn on the user's waist. The cable from the cap lamp to the battery will always be on the outside of the wearer's clothing and will run almost vertically down his back. This arrangement gives an ideally long antennae for use in such hostile conditions.

The tag may simply transmit an identity code, or may be arranged to receive data, and convey this data to the wearer either audibly or visually. In this way a signal might be sent to the wearer to return to the base station.

Preferably the communicator tag is polled by the satellite receiver as it comes into range. In response to such a poll the tag may transmit its stored data e.g. identity code.

A simple self-check circuit may be included within the battery housing to test the battery and the tag, and alert the wearer in the event of a fault e.g. by flashing the lamp.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a schematic view of a cap lamp communicator in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a cap lamp battery casing 10 comprising a body 11 containing the battery electrodes and electrolyte, and a cover 12 secured to the body.

An outlet 13 in the cover 12 is provided for a cable 14 which feeds power to a cap lamp (not shown) via wires 17.

Inside the cover 12, the communicator tag circuitry 15 is mounted securely, and wires from the positive + and negative - battery terminals feed power to the communicator tag 15. The communicator tag antenna 16 also passes through the outlet 13 and extends along the cable 14 under the sheath of the latter.

If the communicator is for use down mines etc, it is often a requirement that all components are intrinsically safe and sealed from the environment. Thus the circuitry 15 may be potted or encapsulated within the cover 12.

This invention may be supplied as a retrofit to existing batteries, or may be supplied together with the lamp and the battery.

In use when the battery is removed from its charger e.g. at the start of a shift in a mine the tag 15 transmits a verification signal which ensures the device is working before the miner starts work.

Whilst down the mine the tag 15 is in stand-by mode until it is polled by one of the satellite receivers positioned down the mine. The tag 15 then transmits data such as its identity number, date and time. This data is fed back to the surface via the satellite receiver, and in this way the miner can be located at all times.

Claims

1) A lamp communicator comprising a communicator tag, a lamp and a battery, wherein the antenna for the communicator is contained within the cable which feeds power from the battery to the lamp.

2) A lamp communicator as claimed in claim 1 in which the communicator tag is housed within a casing for the battery.

3) A lamp communicator as claimed in claim 1 in which the communicator tag is disposed within a housing for the lamp.

4) A lamp communicator comprising a battery and a communicator tag, wherein the tag is housed within a casing for the battery.

5) A lamp communicator comprising a lamp, a communicator tag, and a battery wherein the tag is disposed within a housing for the lamp.

6) A lamp communicator as claimed in any preceding claim in which the tag transmits and/or receives.

7) A lamp communicator as claimed in claim 6 in which the tag transmits and/or receives in the radio range of frequencies.

8) A lamp communicator as claimed in claims 6 or 7 in which the tag transmits an identity code.

9) A lamp communicator as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8 in which the tag is arranged to receive data, and convey said data to a person wearing the communicator either audibly or visually.

10) A lamp communicator as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9 in which the communicator is arranged to be polled by a satellite receiver as it comes within range of said receiver.

11) A lamp communicator as claimed in claim 10 in which the communicator tag is arranged to transmit its stored data in response to being polled.

12) A lamp communicator as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a self-check circuit to test the battery and the tag.

13) A lamp communicator as claimed substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.