Device for prevention of ulcers in the feet of diabetes patients
First Claim
1. In a footwear article having a foot receptive body and an insole disposed in the body, a device for prevention of ulcers in the feet of diabetes patients, said device comprisingat least one hydrocell carried in said insole, said hydrocell including a liquid mass and a flexible envelope enclosing said liquid mass,a sensor disposed in the liquid mass of said hydrocell, said sensor being operable to detect both a pressure condition and a temperature condition present in the hydrocell and output respective signals indicative of detected pressure and temperature conditions,a signal generator receiving the respective sensor output signals and operable responsive to said respective sensor output signals to generate patient perceivable warning signals denotive of undesirable pressure and temperature conditions to which a patient'"'"'s feet should be exposed, anda power cell in circuit with both said sensor and said signal generator for supplying operating power thereto.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for prevention of ulcers in the feet of diabetes patients is embodied in a footwear article such as in a shoe. The device includes a sensor disposed in a contained liquid mass of a hydrocell carried in the shoe inner sole, the sensor being one that detects both pressure and temperature values to which the patient'"'"'s feet are exposed. The sensor includes a bridge circuit comprised of four piezoresistors arranged in two diagonally arrayed pairs, the resistance of one pair of resistors increasing and the resistance of the second pair decreasing in the presence of an increase in the pressure condition in the hydrocell, the resistance of all the resistors increasing or decreasing responsive to respective increases and decreases of temperature in the hydrocell. Outputs from the bridge circuit denotive of respective pressure and temperature values are acquired by a warning signal generator to operate same to generate a patient discernible warning signal that indicates to the patient a need to take action to avoid continuance of exposure to the condition. A grid array sensor detects localized pressure changes on the bottom of the foot by reducing the resistance between conductors present at the location of the increases pressure. The decreased resistance causes an increase in current flow between the conductors which is detected by a processor which in turn provides an indication of the increased pressure condition.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. In a footwear article having a foot receptive body and an insole disposed in the body, a device for prevention of ulcers in the feet of diabetes patients, said device comprising
at least one hydrocell carried in said insole, said hydrocell including a liquid mass and a flexible envelope enclosing said liquid mass, a sensor disposed in the liquid mass of said hydrocell, said sensor being operable to detect both a pressure condition and a temperature condition present in the hydrocell and output respective signals indicative of detected pressure and temperature conditions, a signal generator receiving the respective sensor output signals and operable responsive to said respective sensor output signals to generate patient perceivable warning signals denotive of undesirable pressure and temperature conditions to which a patient'"'"'s feet should be exposed, and a power cell in circuit with both said sensor and said signal generator for supplying operating power thereto.
Specification