Support enhancing device and associated method
First Claim
1. A device for supporting a human being, comprising:
- a structure having a configurable contoured support surface;
a sensing device associated with said structure, said sensing device configured to measure an input parameter, reflective of a pressure distribution of a body part of a person;
a memory device for storing optimal comfort data and said pressure distributions determined by said sensing device;
a surface configuration device associated with said structure; and
a processor associated with said sensing device, said memory and said surface configuration device, wherein said processor;
computes a differential pressure and frequency function using pressure distributions determined by said sensing device and stored in said memory device;
determines an optimal pressure distribution for the person'"'"'s body part using the computed differential pressure and frequency function and the optimal comfort data stored in said memory device; and
operates said surface configuration device so as to change a contour of said support surface so that the optimal pressure distribution is enacted on the person'"'"'s body part.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for supporting a human being comprises a superstructure defining a support surface in contact with a body part of a person and measurement componentry on the superstructure for periodically measuring a predetermined biomechanical parameter of the person'"'"'s body part to determine a load distribution on the body part. The measurement componentry includes a fluid filled reservoir at the support surface and a pressure detector in operative engagement with fluid in the reservoir for monitoring changes in the pressure of the fluid, due, for example, to varying loads caused by physical activity. Circuitry is operatively coupled to the pressure detector for monitoring and characterizing changes in pressure of the fluid over time. Form control componentry is disposed on the superstructure and is operatively connected to the measurement componentry for automatically subjecting the support surface, in response to the determined load distribution, to forces tending to modify a contour of the support surface. The form control circuitry may include a pressurization source for modifying a base pressure of the reservoir fluid.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A device for supporting a human being, comprising:
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a structure having a configurable contoured support surface; a sensing device associated with said structure, said sensing device configured to measure an input parameter, reflective of a pressure distribution of a body part of a person; a memory device for storing optimal comfort data and said pressure distributions determined by said sensing device; a surface configuration device associated with said structure; and a processor associated with said sensing device, said memory and said surface configuration device, wherein said processor; computes a differential pressure and frequency function using pressure distributions determined by said sensing device and stored in said memory device; determines an optimal pressure distribution for the person'"'"'s body part using the computed differential pressure and frequency function and the optimal comfort data stored in said memory device; and operates said surface configuration device so as to change a contour of said support surface so that the optimal pressure distribution is enacted on the person'"'"'s body part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for supporting a human being, comprising the steps of:
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providing a structure defining a configurable contoured support surface; placing a body part of a person in contact with said support surface; upon engagement of the body part with said support surface, periodically and automatically measuring an input parameter to determine a pressure on the body part; automatically determining measured pressure as a function of time and frequency; storing table of optimal comfort pressures; automatically selecting, from the table, an optimal comfort pressure; and automatically subjecting said support surface, in response to the selected optimal comfort pressure, to forces tending to modify a contour of said support surface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A shoe comprising:
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a structure defining a configurable contoured support surface positionable in contact with a person'"'"'s foot; a sensing device associated with the structure for measuring frequency and magnitude of impacts on the person'"'"'s foot; a memory device for storing optimal comfort data and the frequency and magnitude of impacts determined by said sensing device; a surface configuration device associated with said structure; and a processor associated with said sensing device, said memory device and said surface configuration device, wherein said processor; computes a differential pressure and frequency function using the frequency and magnitude of impacts measured by said sensing device and stored in said memory device; determines an optimal comfort, fit or pressure distribution for the person'"'"'s foot using the computed differential pressure and frequency function and the optimal comfort data stored in said memory device; and operates said surface configuration device so as to change a contour of said support surface so that the optimal comfort, fit or pressure distribution is enacted on the person'"'"'s foot. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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- 20. The device defined in claim wherein said sensing device includes a fluid filled reservoir at said support surface and a pressure detector in operative engagement with fluid in said reservoir.
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24. A method for studying physical effects of an activity on a human body, comprising the steps of:
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providing a structure defining a support surface; placing a body part of a person in contact with said support surface; providing a stress detector on said structure so that said detector can measure physical stress in said body part; upon engagement of said body part with said support surface, operating said detector to periodically and automatically measure physical stress of said body part; and automatically analyzing physical stress measured during said step of operating to obtain a biomechanical distribution of the measured stress. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for supporting a human being, comprising the steps of:
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providing a structure defining a configurable contoured support surface; placing a body part of a person in contact with said support surface; upon engagement of the body part with said support surface, periodically and automatically measuring an input parameter to determine a pressure distribution on the body part; automatically determining a measured pressure distribution as a function of time; automatically computing a Fourier Transform on the determined pressure distribution function and determining associated differential pressures; storing a table of optimal comfort pressure distributions as a function of frequency and differential pressure; automatically selecting, from the table, an optimal comfort pressure distribution based at least in part on a frequency and differential pressure computed during the step of computing; and automatically subjecting said support surface, in response to the selected optimal comfort pressure distribution, to forces tending to modify a contour of the support surface.
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Specification