Belt for detecting an increase in girth

• US 5,666,104 A
• Filed: 09/07/1995
• Issued: 09/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haans K. Petruschke, Scott C. Marlow, Stanley E. Pollack
• Original Assignee: Haans K. Petruschke, Scott C. Marlow, Stanley E. Pollack
• Inventors: Petruschke, Haans K., Marlow, Scott C., Pollack, Stanley E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US08/525,910
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/574, 340/665, 340/529, 340/407.1, 128/780, 128/96.1, 119/51.02
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/107 Measuring physical dimensions, e.g. size of the entire body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses

Abstract

A device for monitoring the volume of food consumed during a meal includes a sensor and a belt. The sensor includes a sensor housing, an alarm, and an activation switch operatively connected to the alarm; and the belt is adapted to be worn about the waist of a user, and is operatively connected to the sensor, such that a predetermined tensile force applied to the belt, caused by the consumption of food by the user, activates the switch, and in turn, activates the alarm. Preferably, the sensor includes a delay circuit connected between the activation switch and the alarm such that the tensile force must be applied continuously for a desired time interval before the alarm is activated.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring a volume of food consumed by an individual comprising:

a belt member shaped to fit about a waist of a user;

a sensor including a sensor housing, an alarm, and an activation switch;

said switch being operatively connected to said alarm such that activation of said switch, activates said alarm;

said belt member being operatively connected to said sensor such that a tensile force applied to said belt member greater than approximately 15 ounces activates said switch;

whereby when said belt member is worn about the waist of said user, a desired limit of increase in girth of said user at said waist, caused by a consumption of food by said user, applies a tensile force greater than approximately 15 ounces to said belt member, activating said switch, and in turn, activating said alarm.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said sensor includes a delay circuit connected between said switch and said alarm such that said switch must be activated continuously for a desired time interval before said alarm is activated.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein:

said belt member is connected at one end to said sensor housing and at another end to a sliding component, slidingly mounted to said sensor housing, thereby forming a closed loop shaped to fit about the waist of a user;

said sliding component being operatively connected to said switch such that in one position of said sliding component with respect to said sensor housing said switch is activated, and in another position of said sliding component with respect to said sensor housing said switch is deactivated.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said sensor housing is shaped to be worn about the waist of a user.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said sensor includes a multiple position switch connected between said delay circuit and said alarm, said multiple position switch having a first position which connects said delay circuit to said alarm and a second position which bypasses said delay circuit such that activating said switch immediately activates said alarm.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said sensor further comprises a power supply connected to said switch and said multiple position switch such that activating said switch allows said power supply to activate said alarm.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said sensor includes a spring connected between said sliding component and said sensor housing and oriented to urge said sliding component to contact said switch such that a tensile force greater than approximately 15 ounces overcomes a compressive force of said spring and allows said sliding component to separate from said switch and thereby activates said switch.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said belt member is adjustable in length to vary a circumference of said loop.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said belt member includes first and second belt segments connected to said sliding component and said sensor housing, respectively, and a buckle connecting free ends of said first and second belt segments, said buckle providing adjustability of a length of said belt member.

10. A method of effecting weight loss by limiting the volume of food consumed at a meal comprising the steps of:

attaching a belt about a torso of a user, said belt having a belt member shaped to fit about a torso of a user, and a sensor having an activation switch operatively connected to said belt member such that a tensile force applied to said belt member and sensor closes said activation switch, and an alarm connected to said switch to be activated by said closing of said switch, such that when said belt member is worn about the waist of said user, a desired limit of increase in girth of said user at said waist applies sufficient tensile force between said belt and said sensor to close said activation switch and activate said alarm;

adjusting an effective circumference of said belt such that said alarm is activated by said desired limit of increase in girth of said user; and

consuming food until said girth of said user increases sufficiently to exert tensile force on said belt sufficient to close said activation switch and activate said alarm.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said consuming step includes the step of providing a time delay prior to said activation of said alarm of sufficient duration such that said alarm is not triggered by breathing of said user.

12. A device for monitoring a volume of food consumed by an individual, comprising:

a sensor housing;

a first belt segment having a device end and a free end, said device end being attached to said housing;

a second belt segment having a device end and a free end, said device end being slidably attached to said housing;

a coupling for joining said free ends of said first and second belt segments;

a sensor for detecting a displacement of said second belt segment in a direction, relative to said housing, away from said first belt segment, said sensor emitting a signal in response to said detection;

a biasing element, coupled between said device end of said second belt segment and said housing, and having a predefined compression strength, wherein a tensile force greater than approximately 15 ounces must be applied to said second belt segment to cause said displacement;

an alarm triggered by said signal; and

a power source connected to provide power to said sensor and said alarm.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said biasing element is a spring having one end attached to said device end of said second belt segment and the other end attached to said housing, such that said spring resists said displacement of said device end of said second belt segment in said direction away from said first belt segment.

14. The device of claim 13 further comprising a delay circuit, connected between said sensor and said alarm and configured to trigger said alarm upon said sensor signal remaining at a predetermined state for a predetermined time.

15. The device of claim 14 further comprising a first switch for bypassing said delay circuit such that when said first switch is activated, said alarm will be triggered substantially immediately upon said sensor signal reaching said predetermined state.

16. The device of claim 15 further comprising a second switch for controlling said power source.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said sensor emits said signal at said predetermined state when said device end of said second belt segment slides a predetermined distance in said direction away from said first belt segment.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein said coupling is an adjustable buckle.

19. A device for monitoring a volume of food consumed by an individual, comprising:

a sensor housing;

a first belt segment having a device end and a free end, said device end being attached to said housing;

a second belt segment having a device end and a free end, said device end being slidably attached to said housing;

a coupling for joining said free ends of said first and second belt segments;

a sensor for detecting displacement of said second belt segment in a direction, relative to said housing, away from said first belt segment, said sensor emitting a signal in response to said detection;

an alarm triggered by said signal;

a power source connected to said sensor and said alarm, to provide power to said sensor and said alarm;

a cradle attached to said housing;

a pin attached to said device end of said second belt segment, slidably carried in said cradle;

a spring having one end attached to said pin and the other end attached to said housing;

said sensor being a switch having a contact extending into said cradle such that said spring holds said pin in slidable contact with said switch contact until a force, sufficient to displace said device end of said second belt segment in said direction away from said first belt segment, is applied to said second belt segment.

20. A device for monitoring a volume of food consumed by an individual, comprising:

a sensor housing;

a first belt segment having a device end and a free end, said device end being attached to said housing;

a second belt segment having a device end and a free end, said device end being slidably attached to said housing;

a coupling for joining said free ends of said first and second belt segments;

a sensor for detecting displacement of said second belt segment relative to said housing, said sensor emitting a signal in response to said detection;

an alarm triggered by said signal;

a power source connected to said sensor and said alarm, to provide power to said sensor and said alarm;

a spring having one end attached to said device end of said second belt segment and the other end attached to said housing, such that said spring resists displacement of said device end of said second belt segment in a direction away from said housing;

a delay circuit, connected between said sensor and said alarm and configured to trigger said alarm upon said sensor signal remaining at a predetermined state for a predetermined time;

a first switch for bypassing said delay circuit such that when said first switch is activated, said alarm will be triggered substantially immediately upon said sensor signal reaching said predetermined state; and

a second switch for controlling said power source;

said sensor emitting said signal at said predetermined state when said device end of said second belt segment slides a predetermined distance in said direction away from said housing; and

said sensor includes a third switch, said third switch being oriented to be open by contact with said device end of said second belt segment and closed when not in contact with said device end of said second belt segment, said device end of said second belt segment separating from said third switch upon said device end of said second belt segment displacing said predetermined distance in said direction away from said housing.

21. A method of effecting weight loss by limiting the volume of food consumed at a meal comprising the steps of:

attaching a belt about a torso of a user, said belt including, a belt member shaped to fit about a torso of a user, a sensor operatively connected to said belt member such that a predetermined expansive tensile force applied to said belt member activates said sensor, and an alarm operatively connected to said sensor and activated by said activation of said sensor, such that when said belt member is worn about the waist of said user, a desired limit of increase in girth of said user at said waist causes said predetermined expansive tensile force to be applied to said belt, activating said sensor, and in turn activating said alarm;

adjusting an effective circumference of said belt such that said alarm is activated by said desired limit of increase in girth of said user; and

consuming food until said girth of said user increases sufficiently to exert said predetermined expansive tensile force on said belt.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said consuming step includes the step of providing a time delay prior to said activation of said alarm of sufficient duration such that said alarm is not triggered by breathing of said user.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said predetermined expansive tensile force ranges from approximately 15 ounces to approximately 25 ounces.