Patent ID: 9480866
Filing Date: 2016-11-01
CPC Classification: A62B

Claim Text:
1. A line connector for a personal fall protection system, said line connector comprising: a carabiner having a loop portion that at least partially defines an opening, said opening configured to receive a mating component for a harness of the personal fall protection system, the mating component for the harness including at least one of a D-ring, an O-ring and a snap hook; at least one sensor that comprises a coil disposed around said loop portion of said carabiner; and a control unit coupled to said at least one sensor, said control unit operable to: send an excitation signal to said at least one sensor to cause said at least one sensor to generate an electromagnetic field in response to the excitation signal and to detect a modification of the electromagnetic field induced by the presence of an object as a response signal, wherein said control unit is configured to determine whether the presence of the object that induces the detected modification of the electromagnetic field is associated with the mating component extending through said opening, and to determine that said line connector is coupled to the mating component based on the detected modification of the electromagnetic field induced by the mating component and detected by said at least one sensor.