System for measuring distances traveled by a mobility assistance device

• US 10,267,648 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey Turitz
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Turitz
• Inventors: Turitz, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Tony
• Application Number:
  US15/421,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20170227376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/40 for distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/10 Parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/046 with braking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5043 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5058 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/04 Wheeled walking aids for disabled persons A61H3/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/02 by conversion into electric waveforms and subsequent integration, e.g. using tachometer generator G01C22/002, G01C22/004, G01C22/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/342 the sensed object being the obturating part

Abstract

A system may have a mobile device having at least two wheels and a distance measuring device configured to be removably attached to a frame of the mobile device, which can be a mobility assistance device, such as a walker and a wheelchair. The distance measuring device may have at least a sensing mechanism, an accumulator, and a display that are in communication with one another, with the sensing mechanism configured to monitor rotation of the at least one of the at least two wheels of the mobile device and the accumulator configured to determine the distance traveled by the mobile device based on this rotation and output the distance result on the display.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a mobility device having at least two wheels;

a distance measuring device configured to be removably attached to a frame of the mobility device and configured to monitor rotation of at least one of the at least two wheels of the mobility device,

wherein the distance measuring device comprises at least a sensing mechanism, a measuring mechanism, and a display in operable communication with one another;

wherein the at least one sensing mechanism comprises a rotatable wheel and an axel rotatably coupled to the rotatable wheel; and

wherein the measuring mechanism comprises a light sensor and a light emitting device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobility device is a walker or a wheelchair.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the distance measuring device further comprises a processor and a memory.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the measuring mechanism comprises an optical wheel.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical wheel comprises a central aperture and at least one notch coupled thereto.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the wheel is configured to abut and rotate in unison with the at least one of the at least two wheels of the mobility device.

7. A distance measuring device configured to be removably attached to a frame of a mobility device, the distance measuring device comprising:

a sensing mechanism, a measuring mechanism, and a display each in communication with one another,

wherein the sensing mechanism comprises a rotatable wheel, an axel rotatably coupled to the rotatable wheel; and

wherein the measuring mechanism comprises an optical wheel, a light emitting device, and a light sensor.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the sensing mechanism further comprises a wheel rotatably coupled to an axel,

wherein the axel is coupled to an optical wheel of the measuring mechanism.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the optical wheel comprises a central aperture having at least one notch.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein the mobility device is a walker or a wheel chair.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein rotation of the optical wheel is configured to intermittently block light emitted from the light emitting device from reaching the light sensor.

12. The device of claim 7 further comprising a processor and a memory.

13. A distance measuring device configured to be removably attached to a frame of a mobility device, the distance measuring device comprising:

a first wheel rotatably coupled to an axel,

wherein the first wheel is configured to abut at least one wheel of the mobility device,

wherein rotation of the at least one wheel causes rotation of the first wheel;

an optical wheel coupled to the axel, the optical wheel having notches therethrough,

wherein rotation of the axel causes rotation of the optical wheel;

a light emitting device; and

a light sensor configured to receive light from the light emitting device;

wherein rotation of the optical wheel intermittently blocks light emitted from the light emitting device from being received by the light sensor.