Postural awareness apparatus
First Claim
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1. A method of strengthening the abdomen and lower back of a person comprising the steps of:
- i) contacting the back of a person to be strengthened to an apparatus comprisinga) a pad having a longitudinal axis, proximal and distal ends and an upper surface,b) a head rest adjustably affixed to said proximal end of said pad,c) at least one vibrating unit affixed to said pad, said vibrating unit being in spaced relationship to said head rest, andd) detection means for detecting a weight applied to said pad and activating said signal means when said weight is more than a predetermined weight, said detection means and said signal means being affixed to said pad adjacent each other,ii) adjusting the position of said head rest on said pad to align said head rest with the neck of the person to be strengthened and simultaneously align the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened with said at least one signal means and said detection means,iii) compressing the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened to contact the lumbar region with said detection means, whereby said detection means in response to said compression activates said at least one signal means, andiv) compressing and relaxing the abdomen of the person to be strengthened while maintaining compression of the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened, whereby said at least one signal means continues to produce a signal throughout said abdominal compression and relaxation.
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Abstract
A postural awareness apparatus includes a pad, signal means for producing a signal, detection means for determining a weight applied to the pad and activating the signal means when the weight exceeds a predetermined weight, means for producing an output when the detection means determines the weight, and means for recording the output.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method of strengthening the abdomen and lower back of a person comprising the steps of:
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i) contacting the back of a person to be strengthened to an apparatus comprising a) a pad having a longitudinal axis, proximal and distal ends and an upper surface, b) a head rest adjustably affixed to said proximal end of said pad, c) at least one vibrating unit affixed to said pad, said vibrating unit being in spaced relationship to said head rest, and d) detection means for detecting a weight applied to said pad and activating said signal means when said weight is more than a predetermined weight, said detection means and said signal means being affixed to said pad adjacent each other, ii) adjusting the position of said head rest on said pad to align said head rest with the neck of the person to be strengthened and simultaneously align the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened with said at least one signal means and said detection means, iii) compressing the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened to contact the lumbar region with said detection means, whereby said detection means in response to said compression activates said at least one signal means, and iv) compressing and relaxing the abdomen of the person to be strengthened while maintaining compression of the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened, whereby said at least one signal means continues to produce a signal throughout said abdominal compression and relaxation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of strengthening the abdomen and lower back of a person and producing a record of said strengthening, the method comprising the steps of:
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i) contacting the back of a person to be strengthened to an apparatus comprising a) a pad, b) signal means for producing a signal, and c) detection means for determining a weight applied to said pad and activating said signal means when said weight exceeds a predetermined weight, ii) compressing the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened to contact the lumbar region with said detection means, whereby a weight is applied to said pad, and compressing and relaxing the abdomen of the person to be strengthened while maintaining compression of the lumbar region, iii) determining the weight applied to said pad as a result of said contact and producing an output corresponding to said weight, and iv) recording said output. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method of strengthening the back of a person comprising the steps of:
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i) providing an apparatus including a) a pad, b) signal means for producing a signal, and c) detection means for determining a weight applied to said pad and activating said signal means when said weight exceeds a predetermined weight, said detection means including (1) means for selectably specifying said predetermined weight, (2) a counter, and (3) means for selectably specifying a maximum counter value, ii) initializing said apparatus by specifying said predetermined weight and maximum counter value and setting said counter to an initial value, iii) contacting the back of the person to said apparatus whereby a weight is applied to said pad, iv) compressing the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened to contact the lumbar region with said detection means, whereby a weight is applied to said pad, and compressing and relaxing the abdomen of the person to be strengthened while maintaining compression of the lumbar region, v) determining the weight applied to said pad as a result of said contact and producing a first output corresponding to said weight, vi) transmitting said first output to a processor, vii) processing said first output to compare said weight applied to said pad with said predetermined weight, viii) increasing the value of said counter when said weight at least equals said predetermined weight, and ix) increasing at least one of said predetermined weight and said maximum counter value when said counter value equals said maximum counter value.
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7. A method of strengthening the back of a person comprising the steps of:
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i) providing an apparatus including a) a pad, b) signal means for producing a signal, and c) detection means for determining a weight applied to said pad and activating said signal means when said weight exceeds a predetermined weight, said detection means including (1) means for selectably specifying said predetermined weight, (2) a counter, and (3) means for selectably specifying a maximum counter value, ii) initializing said apparatus by specifying said predetermined weight and maximum counter value and setting said counter to an initial value, iii) contacting the back of the person to said apparatus whereby a weight is applied to said pad, iv) determining the weight applied to said pad as a result of said contact of the person'"'"'s back to the pad and producing a first output corresponding to said weight, v) transmitting said first output to a processor, vi) converting said first output to a human-readable form using said processor and transmitting said converted first output to an output device, vii) said output device displaying said weight applied to said pad, and the user alters said contact with said apparatus when said weight displayed on said output device is less than said predetermined weight. viii) advising said user to alter the user'"'"'s contact with said apparatus when said weight applied to said pad is less than said predetermined weight.
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Specification