Device for promoting toe-off during gait
First Claim
1. A device configured to promote toe-off during gait comprising:
- a first sensor located proximate the ball of a foot of an individual and configured to sense a force acting on said ball of said foot during a gait cycle and to provide a signal corresponding to said force;
a second sensor located proximate a pressure receiving surface of a toe of said foot of said individual and configured to measure a force acting on said toe of said foot during said gait cycle and to provide a signal corresponding to said force;
a control center configured to process said signals, as received from said first and second sensors, to obtain respective first and second measured values, said control center being adapted to compare said first and second measured values to at least one pre-determined value stored within said control center; and
a feedback mechanism operably connected to and controlled by said control center adapted to notify said individual of improper toe-off during said gait cycle, said feedback mechanism being activated depending upon the results of a comparison of said measured values with said at least one pre-determined value, said feedback mechanism making said individual aware of a need to correct a future gait cycle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a gait toe-off promoting device or a device configured to promote toe-off during gait comprising: (a) a first sensor located proximate the ball of a foot of an individual and configured to sense the force acting on the ball of the foot during a gait cycle and to provide a signal corresponding to the force; (b) a second sensor located proximate a pressure receiving surface of a toe of the foot of the individual and configured to measure the force acting on the toe of the foot during the gait cycle and to provide a signal corresponding to the force; (c) a control center configured to process the signals, as received from the first and second sensors, to obtain respective first and second measured values, wherein the control center is also configured to compare the first and second measured values to at least one pre-determined value programmed and stored within the control center; and (d) a feedback mechanism operably connected to and controlled by the control center and configured to notify the individual of improper toe-off during the gait cycle, wherein the feedback mechanism is activated as directed by the control center upon an unacceptable comparison of the measured values with the pre-determined value(s), thus making the individual aware of the need to correct future gait cycles.
73 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A device configured to promote toe-off during gait comprising:
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a first sensor located proximate the ball of a foot of an individual and configured to sense a force acting on said ball of said foot during a gait cycle and to provide a signal corresponding to said force; a second sensor located proximate a pressure receiving surface of a toe of said foot of said individual and configured to measure a force acting on said toe of said foot during said gait cycle and to provide a signal corresponding to said force; a control center configured to process said signals, as received from said first and second sensors, to obtain respective first and second measured values, said control center being adapted to compare said first and second measured values to at least one pre-determined value stored within said control center; and a feedback mechanism operably connected to and controlled by said control center adapted to notify said individual of improper toe-off during said gait cycle, said feedback mechanism being activated depending upon the results of a comparison of said measured values with said at least one pre-determined value, said feedback mechanism making said individual aware of a need to correct a future gait cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A device configured to promote toe-off during gait comprising:
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a first sensor located proximate the ball of a foot of an individual and configured to sense the force acting on said ball of said foot during a gait cycle and to provide a signal corresponding to said force; a second sensor located proximate a pressure receiving surface of a toe of said foot of said individual and configured to measure the force acting on said toe of said foot during said gait cycle and to provide a signal corresponding to said force; a control center electrically connected to said first and second sensors, and configured to process said signals, as received from said first and second sensors, to obtain respective first and second measured values, said control center configured to compare said first and second measured values and to activate a feedback device depending upon the results of said comparison; and an interface medium configured to house and support said first and second sensors, and optionally said control center.
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22. A method for promoting toe-off of an individual during gait comprising:
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positioning a first sensor proximate a ball of a foot of said individual; sensing a force acting on said ball of said foot during a gait cycle; providing a signal corresponding to said force; positioning a second sensor proximate a toe of said foot; sensing a force acting on said toe during said gait cycle; providing a signal corresponding to said force; transmitting said signals to a control center for processing; assigning measured values to said signals; comparing said measured values to one or more pre-determined values; and activating a feedback mechanism notifying said individual of improper toe-off in the event comparison of said differential value to said pre-determined value is unacceptable as pre-determined. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for promoting toe-off of an individual during gait
sensing a first force applied to a ball of a foot during a gait cycle on an individual; -
sensing a second force applied to a toe of said foot during said gait cycle; identifying a differential value between said first and second signals; and comparing said differential value with a reference value to identify improper toe-off; and notifying said individual in the event comparison of said differential value and said reference value is unacceptable. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification