Orthotic sensor device
First Claim
1. An orthotic device, comprising:
- an orthotic device body;
a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) former disposed inside the orthotic device body;
at least two sensors spatially disposed inside the orthotic device body and disposed on the flexible PCB former, a first of the at least two sensors to provide a first output responsive to pressure resulting from application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body, a second of the at least two sensors to provide a second output responsive to flexing resulting from the application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body;
a control unit disposed on the flexible PCB former and communicatively coupled with the at least two sensors inside the orthotic device body to receive and process the first and second outputs provided by the at least two sensors in response to pressure and flexing resulting from the application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body, wherein to process includes to extract electric power from the first and second outputs for electric power harvesting; and
a power storage device coupled with the control unit via a flexible connector, wherein the control unit is to provide the extracted electric power to the power storage device via the flexible connector, to harvest the electric power.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques and configurations for an orthotic device. In one instance, the device may include an orthotic device body and at least two sensors spatially disposed inside the orthotic device body. A first sensor may provide a first output responsive to pressure resulting from application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body. A second sensor may provide a second output responsive to flexing resulting from the application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body. The device may also include a control unit communicatively coupled with the sensors to receive and process the outputs provided by the sensors in response to pressure and flexing. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
26 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An orthotic device, comprising:
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an orthotic device body; a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) former disposed inside the orthotic device body; at least two sensors spatially disposed inside the orthotic device body and disposed on the flexible PCB former, a first of the at least two sensors to provide a first output responsive to pressure resulting from application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body, a second of the at least two sensors to provide a second output responsive to flexing resulting from the application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body; a control unit disposed on the flexible PCB former and communicatively coupled with the at least two sensors inside the orthotic device body to receive and process the first and second outputs provided by the at least two sensors in response to pressure and flexing resulting from the application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body, wherein to process includes to extract electric power from the first and second outputs for electric power harvesting; and a power storage device coupled with the control unit via a flexible connector, wherein the control unit is to provide the extracted electric power to the power storage device via the flexible connector, to harvest the electric power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An article of footwear, comprising:
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an orthotic device, having; an orthotic device body with a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) former disposed inside the orthotic device body; at least two sensors spatially disposed inside the orthotic device body and disposed on the flexible PCB former, a first of the at least two sensors to provide a first output responsive to pressure resulting from application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body, a second of the at least two sensors to provide a second output responsive to flexing resulting from the application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body; a control unit disposed on the flexible PCB former and communicatively coupled with the at least two sensors inside the orthotic device body to receive and process the first and second outputs provided by the at least two sensors in response to pressure and flexing resulting from the application of mechanical force to the orthotic device body, wherein to process includes to extract electric power from the first and second outputs and to provide the extracted electric power for electrical power harvesting; and a power storage device coupled with the control unit via a flexible connector, wherein the control unit is to provide the extracted electric power to the power storage device via the flexible connector, to harvest the electric power. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method, comprising:
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disposing a first sensor in a first area inside a body of an orthotic device to be disposed on a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) former, the first sensor to generate a first electric power signal in response to pressure applied by a user'"'"'s foot to the first area, disposing a second sensor in a second area inside the body of the orthotic device to be disposed on the flexible PCB former, the second sensor to generate a second electric power signal in response to flexing applied by the user'"'"'s foot in the second area; disposing a control unit in a third area inside the body of the orthotic device on the flexible PCB former; communicatively coupling the first and second sensors with the control unit, to enable processing of the first and second electric power signals generated by the first and second sensors in response to application of the pressure and flexing to the orthotic device body, wherein processing includes extracting electric power from first and second outputs for electric power harvesting; disposing a power storage device inside the orthotic device body; and coupling the power storage device with the control unit with a flexible connector, to provide the extracted electric power to the power storage device via the flexible connector, to harvest the electric power. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification