Overview
This patent describes a tethered safety harness system that combines robust mechanical design with sensor-driven monitoring and reporting to protect climbers and elevated workers. The apparatus centers on a compact base containing a retraction assembly, sealed spools, magnetic-encoded straps and mag‑reed switches that together provide continuous strap‑length and motion sensing. The system implements local alarms, an analog gate-based fail‑safe between battery and alarm, and on‑device processing (altimeter, GPS/proximity options) while supporting device and server applications for supervisor dashboards and logging. Filed in May 2018 and granted in April 2022, the patent was prosecuted for inventors based in College Station and Liberty, Texas, and assigned to Smart Harness Systems, LLC of College Station, TX. The claims and specification reflect careful claim drafting to cover both mechanical retraction/locking hardware and the software/cloud monitoring architecture, demonstrating the firm’s technical breadth in electromechanical and IoT safety solutions.
Key Features
- Magnetic‑encoded strap markers with mag‑reed sensing for reliable length and movement detection
- Dual retractable tether spools with key‑lock pin enclosures to prevent unintended release
- Analog gate circuitry that ties sensor state to a battery‑to‑alarm fail‑safe for immediate local alerts
- Integrated electronics: PCB, altimeter, communication hardware and on‑device logging
- Optional networked reporting and supervisor dashboards for site‑level oversight and incident records
By tying mechanical fall‑protection hardware to sensor fusion and cloud reporting, this invention advances practical worker safety and compliance for construction, utilities, and industrial maintenance sectors.
Granted: 2022-04-12
