SE2250231A1

SE2250231A1 - Vibration monitor device

Info

Publication number: SE2250231A1
Application number: SE2250231A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Jan Samulesson; Rolf Bäck
Original assignee: We Protect AB
Priority date: 2022-02-21
Filing date: 2022-02-21
Publication date: 2023-08-22

Abstract

ABSTRACT A vibration monitor device which is configured to be releasably attached to a hand (1) of a user comprises a housing (2) that encloses a vibration monitor. The housing (2) has at least one attachment point (7) holding a strap (3) with at least two loops. A first loop (4) is configured to run around the wrist of a user and a second loop (5, 6) is configured to run around one finger of a user such that the housing (2) is arranged on the back of the hand (1) of the user when the device is in use.

Description

VIBRATION MONITOR DEVICE TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a vibration monitor device which is configured to be releasably attached to a hand of a user, comprising a housing enclosing a vibration monitor.

BACKGROUND Hand held and hand guided powers tools usually transmit vibration to the hands and arms of a power tool operator. lt is known that such transmitted vibration, which is often termed Hand Arm Vibration (HAV), can lead to painful and disabling disease as a consequence of long-term exposure. Regulating the exposure of potentially damaging hand-arm vibrations to machine operators requires affordable and easy- to-use personalized devices which will measure and record the cumulative exposure of vibrations to an operator during the course of a working period.

A directive acknowledges the possible damaging consequences of vibration for human health and lays down maximum levels of vibration exposure to avoid "white finger". White finger is a medical condition of numbness or pain that arises from continuous use of vibrating tools. ln extreme cases white finger can lead to loss of one or more digits. Other issues from exposure to vibrations include, for instance, carpal tunnel syndrome.

The directive lays down a careful specification of what cumulative vibration levels the user is allowed to be exposed to. Above this specified dosage work must stop for that day. What the directive does not do is suggest how this exposure is to be measured. Technically, vibration measurements can be made with high quality but relatively expensive hardware that exists on the market today. This hardware will have been used in research work involved in the definition of the standards.

There is a need to provide a vibration dosage meter that is light, unobtrusive, comfortable, and easy to use even when wearing work gloves and preferably cheap enough for every worker to have one. lt should calculate the vibration dose 2 accurately and provide a clear indication of when the dosage limit has been reached. Also, the fine motor skills should not be affected by wearing this kind of device. The group of workers that could benefit from such a device comprises, for instance, various craftsmen, healthcare staff, e.g., dentists, gardeners, city staff, workers within transport etc.

SUMMARY lt is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vibration monitor device that is easy to use and unobtrusive.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure a vibration monitor device which is configured to be releasably attached to a hand of a user is provided. The device comprises a housing enclosing a vibration monitor. The housing has at least one attachment point holding a strap with at least two loops, a first loop configured to run around the wrist of a user and a second loop that is configured to run around one finger of a user such that the housing is arranged on the back of the hand of the user when the device is in use.

By placing the housing with the vibration monitor on the back of the hand, the device is minimally obtrusive. With just a strap going around the wrist and finger, the device will be out of the way for a user who can perform as normal with maintained control of whatever tool is used at the moment. Placing the vibration monitor on the back of a hand means that the vibrations are slightly dampened when passing through the hand, assuming that for instance a power tool is in contact with the palm of the hand. ln order to detect the correct vibration level, the device is preferably calibrated to imitate the vibration that the palm of the hand has been subjected to.

According to a preferred aspect of the present disclosure the strap has three loops, wherein the third loop is configured to run around a second finger of a user. Preferably, the second and third loops are arranged to run around the index finger and the little finger of a user, respectively. With this concept, the housing is kept on the backside of the hand in a somewhat more stable way. 3 According to an alternative aspect of the present disclosure the housing has an attachment point for each of the loops. Depending on the size of the housing, separate attachment points could be advantageous, especially if the housing a little larger, i.e., covering a large part of the back of the hand.

The vibration monitor device comprises according to a further aspect of the present disclosure a strap for each loop. Separate loops may facilitate adjusting the length of the straps/loops to fit a specific user.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the strap or straps are elastic. Having elastic straps facilitates arranging the device on a user and may also provide a device that needs no adjusting size-wise, i.e., a so called one-size. A variety of sizes could of course even though be provided in order to maximize fitting.

According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the housing further comprises a transmitter connected to the vibration monitor. The transmitter is arranged to wirelessly interact with an application in a remote device, such as a mobile phone, for registering vibration data corresponding to the vibrations a user are exposed to. The vibration data collected may then be displayed in the remote device for checking whether or not a threshold is passed or not. According to an alternative aspect of the present disclosure, the monitoring device further comprises a receiver for receiving input such as threshold level of vibrations, i.e., setting the threshold for when there may be a health risk continuing working.

According to yet a further aspect of the present disclosure the application is arranged to provide a notification to the user when a predetermined level of accumulated vibrations have been registered. ln this way, the user is immediately notified. The set level could for instance be at 90% of the allowed level of vibrations for a day in order for the user to be able to plan when to conclude the work.

According to an alternative aspect of the present disclosure the application of the mobile device has a connection with a computer data network. According to some legislation, an employer might be expected to keep track of the working environment for the employees and may with such a connection monitor on distance the exposure to vibrations of the employees. Also, in a company with several coworkers, a person 4 managing the planning of the tasks to be performed could thus in this way plan the work of the coworkers to make sure that no one is subjected to a too large level of vibrations.

According to yet an alternative aspect of the present disclosure, the surface of the housing that is adapted to be in contact with the hand of user is concave. The better the contact between the housing and the hand, the better the reading of the vibration monitor.

The vibration monitor device according to an advantageous aspect of the present disclosure further comprises a haptic generation module arranged to produce a signal upon reaching a predetermined threshold level of vibrations. Having the housing arranged at the back of a hand provides a better chance of the user to notice the signal. For instance, a vibration signal could be difficult to separate from the vibrations of a power tool should the housing of the vibration monitoring device be arranged on the palm of the hand. The same applies to a light signal which could be easily detected according to the device of the present disclosure compared to a palm placed monitor where the light might not even be visible. lfthe device is equipped with a receiver, a threshold level could be set for when said haptic signals are to be produced.

According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the vibration monitor device further comprises one or any combination of sensors from the group comprising; motion sensor, temperature sensor, gas sensor, sound sensor, particle sensor, and light sensor. As previously mentioned, having the housing of the monitoring device on the back of the hand provides for easier detection of a haptic signal. A further advantage of the placement is when the device is combined with another sensor, i.e., one of the sensors mentioned above. For instance, a sound sensor placed on the back of a hand will be exposed basically to the same level of sound as a sound sensor separately placed elsewhere on a user. Another possibility would be to have the vibration monitor device on the back of the hand combined with a sensor in wireless communication with each other. For instance, a temperature sensor could be placed on a helmet of a user.

Further features of, and advantages with, the present invention will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. The skilled person realize that different features of the present invention may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above, as well as additiona| objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, wherein: Figure 1 is a view of a back side of a hand with an embodiment of a vibration monitor device according to the present disclosure, Figure 2 is a view of the palm of the hand in figure 1, Figure 3 is a view of a back side of a hand with an alternative embodiment of a vibration monitor device according to the present disclosure, Figure 4 is a view of the palm of the hand in figure 3, Figure 5 is a view of the back sides of two hands with further embodiments of the vibration monitor device according to the present disclosure, Figure 6 is view of the palms of the hands of figure 5, and Figure 7 is view of the backside of a hand with yet another embodiment of the vibration monitor device according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and 6 should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness. Like reference character refer to like elements throughout the description.

With reference to figure 1, a vibration monitor device that is configured to be releasably attached to a hand 1 of a user, comprises a housing 2 enclosing a vibration monitor. The housing 2 has at least one attachment point 7 holding a strap 3 with at least two loops, a first loop 4 configured to run around the wrist of a user and a second loop 5 that is configured to run around one finger of a user such that the housing 2 is arranged on the back of the hand 1 of the user when the device is in USS.

The embodiment shown in figure 1 display a strap 3 that has three loops 4, 5, 6, wherein the third loop 6 is configured to run around a second finger of a user. The second and third loops 5, 6 are arranged around the index finger and the little finger of a user, respectively. However, any two fingers may be used including the thumb.

Also, in the embodiment shown, the is a strap 3 for each loop 4, 5, 6. The straps 3 are preferably elastic.

Figure 2 shows the palm of the hand 1 of figure 1. Only the loops 4, 5, 6 are seen which means that the device of the present disclosure is minimally invasive on the work a user needs to do.

Turning to figure 3, a vibration monitor device that is configured to be releasably attached to a hand 1 of a user, comprises a housing 2 enclosing a vibration monitor. The housing 2 has at least one attachment point 7 holding a strap 3 with at least two loops, a first loop 4 configured to run around the wrist of a user and a second loop 5 that is configured to run around one finger of a user such that the housing 2 is arranged on the back of the hand 1 of the user when the device is in use.

The middle finger is used for the second loop 5 in this embodiment shown in figure 3.

Figure 4 shows the palm of the hand of figure 3 only displaying the loops 4, 5 of the device. 7 Figures 5 and 6 show devices according to the present disclosure with an alternative housing 2. Figure 5 shows the back side of a left hand 1 and a right hand 1, the left hand having a device with two loops 4, 5 and the right hand having a device with three loops 4, 5, 6. Figure 6 shows the palms of the hands in figure 5.

Generally, a monitoring device according to present disclosure should generally be arranged on each hand 1. However, there may of course be instances when a monitoring device on one hand 1 will suffice.

Figure 7 illustrates an example of how the straps 3 could be arranged on the housing 2. One strap constitutes the first loop 4 around the wrist of the hand 1 and a second strap 3 is used for both the second and third loops 5, 6. The attachment of the strap/straps 3 to the housing could be made in several ways. ln the shown example the straps 3 are attached to the housing 2 by running through ears 7 on the housing 2.

The device in figure 7 further comprises a haptic generation module 8 arranged to produce a signal upon reaching a predetermined threshold level of vibrations. The haptic generation module 8 is in this embodiment a light emitting diode. Also, schematically shown is a further sensor 9, for instance a sound sensor.

As previously mentioned, the strap 3 or straps 3 are preferably elastic. The steps for arranging the device of the present disclosure on a hand 1 will with elastic straps first to put the hand 1 through the first loop 4. With the embodiment shown in figure 7, the next step would be to pull the second loop 5 or third loop 6 over one finger, for instance the index finger, and the other loop over the little finger.

While several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the functions and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or 8 configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is/are used.

The indefinite articles "a" and "an," as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean "at least one." The phrase "and/or," as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases.

Claims

1.A vibration monitor device which is configured to be releasably attached to a hand (1) of a user, comprising a housing (2) enclosing a vibration monitor, characterized in that the housing (2) has at least one attachment point (7) holding a strap (3) with at least two loops, a first loop (4) configured to run around the wrist of a user and a second loop (5, 6) that is configured to run around one finger of a user such that the housing (2) is arranged on the back of the hand (1) of the user when the device is in use.

2.The vibration monitor device according to claim 1, wherein the strap (3) has three loops (4, 5, 6), wherein the third loop (5, 6) is configured to run around a second finger of a user.

3.The vibration monitor device according to claim 2, wherein the second and third loops (5, 6) are arranged to run around the index finger and the little finger of a user, respectively.

4.The vibration monitor device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (2) has an attachment point (7) for each of the loops.

5.The vibration monitor device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a strap (3) for each loop (4, 5,

6.). The vibration monitor device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the strap (3) or straps (3) are elastic. The vibration monitor device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (2) further comprises a transmitter and/or a receiver connected to the vibration monitor, the transmitter and/or receiver being arranged to wirelessly interact with an application in a remote device, such as a mobile phone, for registering vibration data corresponding to the vibrations a user are exposed to. The vibration monitor device according to claim 7, wherein the application is arranged to provide a notification to the user when a predetermined level of accumulated vibrations have been registered. The vibration monitor device according to any of the claim 7 and 8, wherein the application has a connection with a computer data network. The vibration monitor device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the surface of the housing (2) that is adapted to be in contact with the hand (1) of user is concave. The vibration monitor device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the device further comprises a haptic generation module (8) arranged to produce a signal upon reaching a predetermined threshold level of vibrations. The vibration monitor device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising one or any combination of sensors from the group comprising; motion sensor, temperature sensor, gas sensor, sound sensor, particle sensor, and light sensor.