Apparatus and method for measuring a human head

• US 7,225,554 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Children's Hospital Boston
• Original Assignee: Children's Hospital Boston
• Inventors: Madsen, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BENNETT, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US11/069,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20050223580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 33/2.R, 335/12, 335/141, 335/142, 335/46, 335/50, 335/51, 335/52, 335/551, 335/611, 335/612, 335/613, 600/587
• US Class Current: 33/512
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/107 Measuring physical dimensions, e.g. size of the entire body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head

Abstract

The invention relates to apparatus and methods for measuring a human head. The apparatus disclosed herein involve the use of linear rulers, or rotating contacting members, coupled to a support member. The apparatus disclosed herein can be positioned on a human head, using the methods disclosed herein, to determine the outer contour of the head. Such a measurement can aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of various abnormalities of the human head, including plagiocephaly.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining an outer contour of a human head, comprising a support member and a plurality of contacting members rotatably coupled to the support member wherein each of the plurality of contacting members comprises a curved surface for contacting with the human head and wherein the curved surface of each contacting member has a radius of curvature that is one of increasing and decreasing in a direction of rotation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein twelve contacting members are rotatably coupled to the support member.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contacting members have indicia thereon.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two contacting members are rotatably coupled to the support member at one coupling point.

5. The apparatus of claims 1, wherein the curved surface of the contacting members comprises a portion which is characterizable by a spiral equation.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the spiral equation characterizes a linear spiral.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the spiral equation characterizes a logarithmic spiral.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the curved surface of the contacting member comprises a portion which is characterizable by a spiral equation.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the spiral equation characterizes a linear spiral.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the spiral equation characterizes a logarithmic spiral.

11. An apparatus for determining an outer contour of a human head, comprising a support member;

a plurality of contacting members rotatably coupled to the support member wherein each of the contacting members rotatably coupled to the support member comprises a curved surface for contacting with the human head wherein the curved surface of each rotatably coupled contacting member has a radius of curvature that is one of increasing and decreasing in a direction of rotation; and

at least one contacting member comprising a portion that conforms to an external auditory meatus of the human head.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein twelve contacting members are rotatably coupled to the support member.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the contacting members have indicia thereon.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least two contacting members are rotatably coupled to the support member at one coupling point.

15. The apparatus of claims 11, wherein the curved surface of the contacting member comprises a portion which is characterizable by a spiral equation.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the spiral equation characterizes a linear spiral.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the spiral equation characterizes a logarithmic spiral.

18. The apparatus of claims 14, wherein the curved surface of the contacting member comprises a portion which is characterizable by a spiral equation.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the spiral equation characterizes a linear spiral.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the spiral equation characterizes a logarithmic spiral.