Posture-monitoring headband device
First Claim
1. A posture-monitoring headband device comprising:
- a headband, adjustable in circumference, adapted to be worn by a human subject;
a strap, attached to said headband at a front location and at a rear location, traversing overtop the subject'"'"'s head in an arcuate path located substantially in a saggital body plane;
a housing, having on a bottom side thereof strap attachment means captively engaging said strap in a manner disposing said housing substantially above said strap with freedom to be adjustably positioned along said arcuate path over a range including an operational position in which a predetermined normal disposition of subject'"'"'s head results in a substantially level horizontal position of the housing;
level-sensing means, disposed within said housing, adapted to sense predetermined deviations from said level horizontal position in the subject'"'"'s saggital plane; and
indicating means adapted to indicate said deviations kinesthetically to the subject.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A monitoring device for posture improvement training, worn as a headband, provides audible feedback of sensed forward or backward deviation from ideal head inclination in the saggital plane. The monitor unit is captivated on an adjustable central strap running front-to-rear over the curvature of the crown of the head. The unit may be moved along the strap to enable initial leveling adjustment to level the unit while the subject'"'"'s head is maintained in the ideal posture of neutral inclination. A level-sensor, specially mounted in the unit, remains switched in an OFF state as long as the subject'"'"'s head inclination remains correct, however, whenever the head inclines in either direction in the saggital plane beyond a predetermined critical angle, e.g. 4 degrees, the sensor makes contact to an ON state, actuating a sound-emitting transducer powered by an on-board battery, to indicate the departure from correct posture. Then as soon as the head inclination is corrected within the set limits, the sound is discontinued. To filter out responses to sudden transient head movements, a time delay is introduced between the sensor and the sound transducer; a push switch on mounted on the unit permits the length of the time delay to be set to a BEGINNING value, e.g. 0.5 seconds, or an ADVANCED value, e.g. 0.25 seconds. Other features may include a sun visor, a "sight line" for visual leveling and facilities to accept optional weight inserts for adjusting the sensory effect.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A posture-monitoring headband device comprising:
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a headband, adjustable in circumference, adapted to be worn by a human subject; a strap, attached to said headband at a front location and at a rear location, traversing overtop the subject'"'"'s head in an arcuate path located substantially in a saggital body plane; a housing, having on a bottom side thereof strap attachment means captively engaging said strap in a manner disposing said housing substantially above said strap with freedom to be adjustably positioned along said arcuate path over a range including an operational position in which a predetermined normal disposition of subject'"'"'s head results in a substantially level horizontal position of the housing; level-sensing means, disposed within said housing, adapted to sense predetermined deviations from said level horizontal position in the subject'"'"'s saggital plane; and indicating means adapted to indicate said deviations kinesthetically to the subject. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A posture-monitoring headband device comprising:
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a headband, adjustable in circumference, adapted to be worn by a human subject; a strap, attached to said headband at a front location and at a rear location, traversing overtop the subject'"'"'s head in an arcuate path located substantially in a saggital body plane; a housing, having on a bottom side thereof strap attachment means captively engaging said strap in a manner such as to dispose said housing substantially above said strap with freedom to be adjustably positioned along said arcuate path over a range including an operational position in which a predetermined normal disposition of subject'"'"'s head results in a substantially level horizontal position of said housing; level sensing means, disposed within said housing, comprising a pair of parallel-connected switches adapted to change from an open state to a closed state whenever subject'"'"'s head becomes inclined beyond a designated angle of deviation in either direction in the saggital plane from said normal disposition; indicating means, including a battery, cooperating with said level sensing means so as to provide an audible indication in response to said switches changing to a closed state; and delay means, in an electrical circuit including said level sensing means and said indicating means, adapted to introduce a predetermined time delay between the time of said switches changing to a closed state and the time of initiation of a consequential audible indication. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification