HOT STICK DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHOD

Abstract

A system includes an insulating pole including a cooperating connector on an end thereof. The system further includes a rescue tool adapted to form a connection with a person to move the person from one position to another position. The rescue tool includes a connector attached to an end of the rescue tool which is adapted to removably attach the rescue tool to the cooperating connector of the insulating pole. The rescue tool can be in the shape of a hook. The insulating pole can, for example, be expandable (for example, by telescoping).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claim benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/925,332, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hot stick devices, systems and methods, and particularly to hot stick devices, systems and methods in which a removable safety device is installable on or attachable to the hot stick to move or rescue a worker.

The use of elongated, insulating poles (commonly referred to as hot sticks) to which a number of tools are removably attachable is know in, for example, industries in which individuals work in the vicinity of electrically energized equipment (including, for example, high-voltage lines or wires). Such hot sticks and various tools for use in connection therewith are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,593,196, 5,564,852, 5,666,253, 5,299,464, 4,326,316, 1,920,168, 3,111,049, 4,470,328, 869,836, 2,643,281, and 3,799,599, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. A hot stick can, for example, be made of fiberglass By attaching different tools to the end of the hot stick, a worker can, for example, test for voltage, tighten nuts and bolts, brush items, prune foliage, open or close switches, connect tie wires, install insulating sleeves, etc. without exposing the worker to a large risk of electric shock.

Although a number of tools and safety devices are available to individuals working in the vicinity of energized, high voltage equipment, it is desirable to develop improved devices, systems and methods of, for example, moving a person from one position to another position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provided a device including a rescue tool adapted to form a connection with a person to move the person from one position to another position. The rescue tool includes a connector attached to or positioned upon an end of the rescue tool. The connector is adapted to removably attach the rescue tool to a cooperating connector on an end of an insulating pole. The rescue tool can, for example, be in the shape of a hook. The rescue tool can be formed from an insulating material.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a system including an insulating pole comprising a cooperating connector on an end thereof. The system further includes a rescue tool adapted to form a connection with a person to move the person from one position to another position. The rescue tool includes a connector attached to an end of the rescue tool which is adapted to removably attach the rescue tool to the cooperating connector of the insulating pole. As described above, the rescue tool can be in the shape of a hook. The insulating pole can, for example, be expandable (for example, telescoping). The system can further include at least one other tool comprising a connector adapted to be removably attached to the cooperating connector of the insulating pole.

In still another aspect, the present invention provided a method of preparing to move a person working in the vicinity of electrically energized equipment from one position to another including: providing an insulating pole including a cooperating connector on an end thereof; providing a rescue tool adapted to form a connection with a person to move the person from the one position to the another position, the rescue tool including a connector attached to an end of the rescue tool; and connecting the rescue tool to the insulated pole by connecting the connector of the rescue tool to the cooperating connector of the insulated pole.

The removable rescue tools of the present invention are suitable for use with many standard hot sticks via use of an appropriate connector as known in the art and eliminates the need to carry multiple poles.

The present invention, along with the attributes and attendant advantages thereof, will best be appreciated and understood in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view an embodiment of a rescue tool or hook of the present invention that is removably attachable to a hot stick.

FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged, perspective view of the connector of the rescue tool of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged top view of the connector of the rescue tool of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged bottom view of the connector of the rescue tool of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the rescue tool of FIG. 1 attached to a telescoping extending member or hot stick wherein the hot stick is in contracted state.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the rescue tool of FIG. 1 attached to the telescoping hot stick wherein the hot stick is in an expanded state.

FIG. 7 illustrates an enlarged perspective view of the connection between the rescue tool of FIG. 1 and the hot stick wherein the hot stick is in a contracted state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 through 7 illustrate an embodiment of a rescue tool 10 of the present invention shaped and dimensioned to pass around, for example, an injured person or a portion of the injured person to effect a rescue of that person. In the illustrated embodiment, rescue tool 10 is arced such that it is generally in the shape of a hook. On skilled in the rescue arts appreciates that other shapes are possible. One end of rescue tool 10 includes a connector 20 adapted to removably connect to a cooperating connector 40 of, for example, an expandable, extendible or telescoping, insulating pole 30 (see FIGS. 5 though 7), commonly referred to as a hot stick. Expanding or telescoping fiberglass hot sticks suitable for use in the present invention are, for example, available from Salisbury Electrical Safety, LLC of Skokie, Ill. Various cooperating connectors suitable for use with hot sticks including those of the present invention are, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,852. In the illustrated embodiment, connector 20 is maintained in removable connection with connector 40 via a wing nut 50.

Connectors 20 and 40 can, for example, include cooperating or interconnecting teeth 22 and 42, respectively, and notches 24 and 44, respectively, therebetween (see, for example, FIG. 7), which can be arranged generally about a circle. Such connectors 10 and 40 enable connection in various orientations. One skilled in the art appreciates that the connectors of the present invention can be formed using many types of cooperating workpiece connector systems, such as pressure-ball systems, threaded-locking engagement system, or any other suitable connectors or connector systems.

Rescue tool 10 can, for example, be fabricated at least partially from an insulating or nonconducting material such as fiberglass or a polymeric material as known in the art. As also known in the art, hot stick 30 is adapted for use with a variety of tools (represented schematically in FIG. 7 as tools 10a¹, 10a², 10a³ . . . 10aⁿ), which are removably connectible via connector 40.

In an example of a use of rescue tool 10 of the present invention, an electrician can, for example, use hot stick 30 to work on the high voltage equipment with other tools 10a¹, 10a², 10a³ . . . 10aⁿ (for example, pruners, cleaning brushes, saws, samplers, etc.) that mount to hot stick 30 via cooperating connector 40. When the electrician must get closer to the equipment to complete a task, the electrician can, for example, attach rescue tool or hook 10 to hot stick 30 and have an assistant stand ready to hook the electrician with tool 10 and pull the electrician out of danger in the case, for example, that the electrician comes into contact with an energized or hot wire.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings set forth the preferred embodiments of the invention at the present time. Various modifications, additions and alternative designs will, of course, become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing teachings without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is indicated by the following claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes and variations that fall within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Claims

1. A device comprising a rescue tool adapted to form a connection with a person to move the person from one position to another position and a connector attached to an end of the rescue tool, the connector being adapted to removably attach the rescue tool to a cooperating connector on an end of an insulating pole.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the rescue tool is in the shape of a hook.

3. A system comprising an insulating pole comprising a cooperating connector on an end thereof, the system further comprising a rescue tool adapted to form a connection with a person to move the person from one position to another position, the rescue tool comprising a connector attached to an end of the rescue tool and being adapted to removably attach the rescue tool to cooperating connector of the insulating pole.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the rescue tool is in the shape of a hook.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the insulating pole is expandable.

6. The system of claim 3 further comprising at least one other tool comprising a connector adapted to be removably attached to the cooperating connector of the insulating pole.

7. A method of preparing to move a person working in the vicinity of electrically energized equipment from one position to another comprising:

providing an insulating pole comprising a cooperating connector on an end thereof,

providing a rescue tool adapted to form a connection with a person to move the person from the one position to the another position, the rescue tool comprising a connector attached to an end of the rescue tool, and

connecting the rescue tool to the insulating pole by connecting the connector of the rescue tool to the cooperating connector of the insulating pole.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the rescue tool is in the shape of a hook.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the insulating pole is expandable.