Weight distribution measuring instruments

• US 4,014,398 A
• Filed: 07/07/1975
• Issued: 03/29/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William Gresko
• Original Assignee: William Gresko
• Inventors: Gresko, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Jr., George H.
• Application Number:
  US05/593,429
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 177/208, 177/209, 177/254, 177/245, 128/2 S
• US Class Current: 600/592
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 5/04 with means for measuring the pressure imposed by the load on a liquid pressure gauges per se G01L

Abstract

Weight Distribution Measuring Instruments which provide accurate simultaneous readings showing how a patient'"'"'s weight is distributed between the heels and balls of his feet whereby to provide clinical information to a physician as to whether or not an injury causes that patient to favor one leg or one portion of his leg unconsciously; this is accomplished by providing a base with two separate pairs of foot pads, one pair for each heel and ball of each foot, and by making the heel and ball positions mechanically adjustable with respect to each other to compensate for variations in foot size; a separate read out gauge is provided for and hydraulically coupled to each foot pad to provide an accurate reading of the weight presented to each pad; valves are provided to lock the readings of the gauges at any selected time.

Claims

1. A weight distribution measuring device comprising a base, first and second pairs of foot pads mounted on said base, adjustable means for horizontally positioning the first pair of foot pads with respect to said second pair of foot pads on said base, weight responsive means operatively connected to each of the food pads for independently measuring the amount of weight present on each of the foot pads, and metering means for presenting simultaneously the amount of weight present on each of the foot pads, the first pair of foot pads being in fixed position with respect to the base and the second pair of foot pads being mounted on the base for forward and rearward movement with respect to the first pair of pads, each of the pads being operatively disposed on the piston of a hydraulic cylinder, which said cylinder is hydraulically connected through locking means to a gage mounted on a display panel and calibrated to give a direct read-out of the weight presented to the respective pad, and the locking means including a four way hydraulic control valve adapted for establishing hydraulic communication between the cylinder of each pad and the respective gage when the control valve is in the "open" position and for retaining the reading presented to each gage when the control valve is in the closed position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the adjustable means includes a choke wire comprising a sleeve and a slide wire slidably mounted therein, the sleeve is secured to the base, the slide wire is connected at one end to a support means slidably in the base for supporting the first pair of pads, and the other end of the slide wire is attached to a lever pivotally mounted in the control panel for selectively varying the separation between the first pair of pads and the second pair of pads.

3. A weight distribution and measuring device comprising a housing, a pair of heel pads mounted in the housing in spaced separation from each other and being fixedly disposed therein, a pair of sole pads adjustably disposed in spaced separation from each other in said housing, means for selectively adjusting the horizontal separation between the sole pads and the heel pads, sensing means operatively connected to each of the pads for sensing the amount of weight present thereon, positioning means for selectively positioning the sole pads with respect to the heel pads, and indicia means for identifying the amount of weight supported by each of said pads, said positioning means includes a choke wire comprising a sleeve and a slide wire slideably mounted therein, the sleeve being secured to the housing, and the slide wire being secured at one end to the two sole pads and at the other end to a control handle pivotally mounted on the housing and adapted for causing the slide wire to move with respect to the sleeve when the handle is moved with respect to the housing.