Back bend sensor

• US 20090315721A1
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ali G. Ganjei, Mark Gottlieb
• Original Assignee: Ali G. Ganjei, Mark Gottlieb
• Inventors: Gottlieb, Mark, Ganjei, Ali G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,018,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.700
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait

Abstract

A trainable back bend monitor system for use by individuals that will monitor and sense bending as it occurs and where a threshold level of bending can be set so that the individual will be warned when that predetermined threshold, unique to that individual, has been reached so that the individual can then be warned or signaled to stop bending thereby avoiding bending conditions that can lead to bodily strain that can cause lower back pain.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the quantity of bending of one'"'"'s back adjacent the lumbar area, comprising:

a sensor positioned adjacent the lumbar region of the spine so that as the spine is bent the amount of vertebral movement will be sensed;

a controller operatively connected to the sensor for determining the amount of vertebral movement and for generating a signal in response to the sensed movement caused by bending;

a signal system actuated to warn a wearer of the device of bending levels in response to a signal from the controller related to the detection of vertebral movement; and

a power supply operatively connected to the sensor, the controller and the signal system.

2. The device as in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a stretchable member.

3. The device as in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a member including therein a strain gauge that is incrementally strained as bending occurs.

4. The device as in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a patch that is adhered to an individual and senses incremental changes in spacing between at least two marks placed on the individual beneath the patch.

5. The device as in claim 4 wherein the patch further includes a sensor panel containing one or more optical sensors.

6. The device as in claim 5 wherein the optical sensors monitor the spacing between the at least two marks.

7. The device as in claim 4 wherein the patch further includes a sensor panel containing one or more magnetic sensors.

8. The device as in claim 7 wherein the magnetic sensors monitor the spacing between the at least two marks.

9. The device as in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a patch located adjacent a lumbar area of an individual and includes a sensor panel containing one or more sensors.

10. The device as in claim 9 wherein the one or more sensors are optical sensors.

11. The device as in claim 1 wherein the signal system is activated when the amount of sensed vertebral movement exceeds a predetermined threshold.

12. The device as in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

13. The device as in claim 12 wherein the pressure sensor is located in a pad positioned adjacent a seat back of a seat.

14. The device as in claim 13 further including a second pressure sensor located in a seat pan of the seat.

15. The device as in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a patch that is held adjacent the L1-L5 lumbar region of an individual and senses incremental changes in spacing between at least two marks placed on the individual.

16. The device as in claim 15 wherein the patch further includes a sensor panel containing one or more optical sensors.

17. The device as in claim 15 wherein the optical sensors monitor the spacing between the at least two marks.

18. The device as in claim 15 wherein the patch further includes a sensor panel containing one or more magnetic sensors.

19. The device as in claim 18 wherein the magnetic sensors monitor the spacing between the at least two marks.

20. The device as in claim 1 wherein the controller further includes a suitable memory and a bend threshold input for generating a signal to be stored in the controller memory equal to a chosen threshold of sensed bending movement for an individual to thereby permit activation of a signal when subsequently sensed movement is equal to or beyond that set threshold.

21. A device for aiding bending control and that will signal a wearer when excessive bending is occurring comprising:

an elongated patch formed of a relatively non-stretch material; and

an adhesive layer on a rear surface of the patch to adhere the patch to the skin of an individual so that the patch can be positioned over the L1-L5 lumbar region of the individual'"'"'s back and pull against the wearer'"'"'s skin to warn when bending limits have been reached.

22. The device as in claim 21 where the adhesive is located in two opposed and spaced apart areas adjacent opposing ends of the patch with the intervening area of the patch being adhesive free.

23. A method of helping to control bending by an individual comprising the steps of:

forming a patch of a relatively non-stretch material;

applying adhesive to a rear surface of the patch; and

applying the patch to overlie the L1-L5 lumbar region of the individual'"'"'s back so that the patch will pull on the wearer'"'"'s skin when bending limits have been reached.