Pressure Sensor to Quantify Work

• US 20150253210A1
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IFIT Incorporated (Amynta Agency, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Inventors: Ashby, Darren C., Watterson, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,433,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/42 where power is generated by conversion of mechanical movement to electricity, e.g. by piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/14 Shoes for cyclists
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/008 using hydraulic or pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0085 using pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/012 using frictional force-resisters electromagnetically-controlled brakes A63B21/0056
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/22 Resisting devices with rotary bodies A63B21/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0046 Details of the support elements or their connection to the exercising apparatus, e.g. adjustment of size or orientation attachments of resisters or weights to the body of the user A63B21/4001; using rollers, wheels, castors or gliding means to be moved over the floor or guide tracks A63B22/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0056 the pivoting movement being in a vertical plane, e.g. steppers with a horizontal axis platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 : blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 3/08 : Pedals
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/50 : characterised by detectors or sensors, or arrangement thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/06 : other than of endless-walk type
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 : using capacitors

Abstract

A monitoring system includes a shoe and a sole integrated into the shoe. The monitoring system also includes a connection mechanism attached to an underside of the sole and is shaped to connect the sole to a pedal. A pressure sensor is incorporated into the shoe that senses a force exerted on the pedal when the shoe is connected to the pedal through the connection mechanism.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

a shoe;

a sole integrated into the shoe;

a connection mechanism attached to an underside of the sole, wherein the connection mechanism is shaped to connect the sole to a pedal; and

a pressure sensor incorporated into the shoe that senses a force exerted on the pedal when the shoe is connected to the pedal through the connection mechanism.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor distinguishes between upward forces and downward forces.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the shoe further comprises an accelerometer.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the shoe further comprises a wireless transmitter that transmits measurements of the pressure sensor to a computing device.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the computing device comprises a processor and memory with programmed instructions, wherein the programmed instructions cause the processor to quantify the force based at least in part on the measurements of the pressure sensor.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the programmed instructions further cause the processor to quantify a calorie count based at least in part on the measurements of the pressure sensor.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the connection mechanism is a clipless pedal system.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the pressure sensor is positioned proximate a cleat receptacle of the clipless pedal system.

9. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is a capacitive based pressure sensor.

10. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the capacitive based pressure sensor comprises electrically conducting plates that are spaced a distance from each other, wherein the electrically conducting plates move such that the distance narrows during a downward force and the distance widens during an upward force.

11. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the shoe further comprises an energy harvesting mechanism that converts a motion of the shoe into electrical power when the shoe is in motion.

12. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the shoe further comprises an energy harvesting mechanism that converts a pressure exerted onto the sole into electrical power.

13. A monitoring system, comprising:

a shoe;

a sole integrated into the shoe;

a cleat receptacle formed in the sole;

a clipless pedal system that connects the sole to a pedal when the pedal is attached to the clipless pedal system;

a pressure sensor incorporated into the shoe, wherein the pressure sensor is positioned proximate the cleat receptacle; and

an energy harvesting mechanism disposed in the shoe, wherein the energy harvesting mechanism supplies the pressure sensor with electrical power.

14. The monitoring system of claim 13, further comprising an accelerometer disposed in the shoe.

15. The monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the shoe further comprises a wireless transmitter that transmits measurements of the pressure sensor to a computing device.

16. The monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the computing device comprises a processor and memory, wherein the memory includes programmed instructions that, when accessed by the processor, cause the processor to quantify the force based at least in part on the measurements of the pressure sensor.

17. The monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the programmed instructions further cause the processor to quantify a calorie count based at least in part on the measurements of the pressure sensor.

18. The monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensor is a capacitive based pressure sensor.

19. The monitoring system of claim 18, wherein the capacitive based pressure sensor comprises electrically conducting plates that are spaced a distance from each other, wherein the electrically conducting plates move such that the distance narrows during a downward force to the pedal and the distance widens during an upward force to the pedal.

20. A monitoring system, comprising:

a computing device;

a shoe;

a sole integrated into the shoe;

a cleat receptacle formed in the sole;

a clipless pedal system that connects the sole to a pedal when the pedal is attached to the clipless pedal system;

a capacitive based pressure sensor incorporated into the shoe and positioned proximate a cleat receptacle;

wherein the capacitive based pressure sensor distinguishes between upward forces to the pedal through the shoe and downward forces to the pedal through the shoe;

the shoe further comprises an energy harvesting mechanism that supplies the capacitive based pressure sensor with electrical power;

an accelerometer incorporated into the shoe that senses a direction of the force exerted on the pedal; and

a wireless transmitter incorporated into the shoe that transmits measurements of the capacitive based pressure sensor to the computing device;

wherein the computing device comprises a processor and memory, wherein the memory includes programmed instructions, which when accessed by the processor cause the processor to;

quantify the force based at least in part on the measurements of the capacitive based pressure sensor; and

quantify a calorie count based at least in part on the measurements of the capacitive based pressure sensor.