Device for taking the measurements of the various component elements of the movement of a moving body

• US 5,097,706 A
• Filed: 06/06/1990
• Issued: 03/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Association Persival A Corporation Under The Law of France
• Original Assignee: Association Persival
• Inventors: Le Nouvel, Alain, Daveine, Michel, Dronka, Thierry, Maginot, Andre, Jouffroy, Jean-Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US07/534,704
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 73/493, 73/510, 73/865.4, 73/866.4, 119/29, 340/573, 364/566, 364/578
• US Class Current: 73/493
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/02 Training or exercising equipment, e.g. mazes or labyrinths for animals A01K15/04 takes precedence; Electric shock devices circuits therefor H03K3/537; Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/027 Exercising equipment, e.g. tread mills, carousels equipment for racing or riding sports events A63K
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: B68C 1/00 Saddling equipment for riding- or pack-animals
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 for acceleration values

Abstract

A device for taking measurements of the various component elements of the movement of a moving body includes a support having an arch with two branches so as to straddle, for example, the withers of a horse. The support has a high point and two low points, symmetrical relative to the longitudinal median plane of the support. The support carries six accelerometers of which, in use, three are disposed so that their axes are parallel to a longitudinal axis X, two are disposed so that their axes are parallel to a vertical axis Z, and one accelerometer is disposed so that its axis is parallel to the transverse axis Y.

Claims

1. Device for taking measurements relative to longitudinal X, transverse Y and vertical Z axes of the various component elements of the movement of a moving body, comprising, a support having an arch form with two branches able to straddle a selected portion of said body, said support including a high point and two low points, symmetrical relative to the longitudinal median plane of said support;

six accelerometers carried by said support, in use three said accelerometers being disposed with their axes parallel to the longitudinal axis X, two accelerometers disposed with their axes parallel to the vertical axis Z and one accelerometer disposed with its axis parallel to the transverse axis Y.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said accelerometers are connected to provide measurements of linear acceleration taken:

along the X axis by means of the measurements from the three accelerometers having axes parallel to the X axis;

along the Z axis by means of the measurements from the two accelerometers having axes parallel to said Z axis;

along the Y axis by the measurement from the accelerometer having its axis parallel to said Y axis; and

measurements of rotational accelerations taken;

about the vertical axis Z by the differential of the measurements from two said accelerometers with axes parallel to the X axis;

about the axis Y by the measurement differential between the average of said two accelerometers with axes parallel to the X axis and the third accelerometer with its axis parallel to the X axis; and

about the axis X by the differential of the measurements from the two accelerometers with axes parallel to the Z axis.

3. Device according to claim 2, and further comprising means for integrating the measurements of angular and linear accelerations carried out along three orthogonal axes, to obtain the speeds and angular and linear displacements with respect to one point on said body.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the intended moving body is a horse, the inner portion of the support having a profile approximately corresponding to the contour of the body of a horse at the level of the withers, the device being dimensioned for fastening to the bow of a saddle with the point of intersection of said longitudinal median plane of the support and the axis of the transverse accelerometer having its axis parallel to the Y axis, is situated at the level of the horse'"'"'s withers.

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the support includes two fastening openings into which, in use, two fingers, carried by a metallic piece integral with the bow of a saddle, preferably near the strap or on a surcingle penetrate.

6. Device according to claim 4 and further comprising a source of electric energy and recording means to which said accelerometers are connected, said source and recording means being subject to carriage by at least one of the rider, the horse, and a person moving alongside the horse.

7. Device according to claim 3, in which the intended moving body is a horse and said point is a point at the level of the withers.

8. Device according to claim 2, wherein the intended moving body is a horse, the inner portion of the support having a profile approximately corresponding to the contour of the body of a horse at the level of the withers, the device being dimensioned for fastening to the bow of a saddle with the point of intersection of said longitudinal median plane of the support and the axis of the transverse accelerometer having its axis parallel to the Y axis, is situated at the level of the horse'"'"'s withers.

9. Device according to claim 3, wherein the intended moving body is a horse, the inner portion of the support having a profile approximately corresponding to the contour of the body of a horse at the level of the withers, the device being dimensioned for fastening to the bow of a saddle with the point of intersection of said longitudinal median plane of the support and the axis of the transverse accelerometer having its axis parallel to the Y axis, is situated at the level of the horse'"'"'s withers.

10. Device according to claim 5 and further comprising a source of electric energy and recording means to which said accelerometers are connected, said source and recording means being subject to carriage by at least one of the rider, the horse, and a person moving alongside the horse.

11. A device according to claim 1 in combination with a saddle, wherein said support includes two fastening openings, and said saddle includes a metal piece integral with the bow of said saddle, and two fingers carried by said metallic piece, in use, said metal fingers penetrating said openings to join said device with said saddle.