Force monitoring system
First Claim
1. A system that monitors forces between a first bearing surface and a second mating or conforming bearing surface, comprising:
- a first body piece adapted to contact the first bearing surface on an outside surface of the first body piece, the first body piece comprising a plurality of poles integrally formed with the first body piece and extending relative to the inside surface of the first body piece;
a plurality of sensors disposed on each respective pole in recessed walls in the plurality of poles;
a second body piece adapted to contact the second bearing surface on an outside surface of the second body piece, the second body piece having a first recess configured to receive a first condoyle of an artificial knee insert and a second recess configured to receive a second condoyle of the artificial knee insert, the second body piece configured to receive the plurality poles of the first body piece such that the first body piece and second body piece mate together and move relative to one another, a first plurality of poles symmetrically disposed about and aligned with the first recess and a second plurality of poles symmetrically about and aligned with the second recess, where an inside surface of the second body piece contacts the plurality of poles without detectible load transfer when no force is applied to the mated first and second body pieces; and
a computer in communication with the plurality of sensors in each respective pole in the plurality of poles, the computer disposed in a recessed cavity between the first body piece and the second body piece when they mate together;
where the plurality of sensors in each respective pole are configured to detect a mechanical motion of a respective pole at an onset of a dynamic force exerted on an external surface of the first or the second body piece and wherein the computer is configured to receive a signal from the sensors and provide a measurement and value of the magnitude of the force and location of the force.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system monitors dynamic forces between bearing surfaces. Based on sensed data, the system may model the forces on the bearing surfaces, analyze these forces, store data relating to these forces, and/or transmit data to an external data gathering device. The system includes a first body piece and a second body piece which mate together. The first and second body pieces comprise bearing surfaces that contact a material that may exert a force. A protrusion, such as a pole, post, or beam, extends from first body piece'"'"'s bearing surface. At least one sensor is disposed on a pole. The at least one sensor detects a mechanical motion of the pole resulting from a force imposed on the body pieces, and generates data indicative of this force. A computer communicates with the at least one sensor and processes the sensed and/or modeled data.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system that monitors forces between a first bearing surface and a second mating or conforming bearing surface, comprising:
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a first body piece adapted to contact the first bearing surface on an outside surface of the first body piece, the first body piece comprising a plurality of poles integrally formed with the first body piece and extending relative to the inside surface of the first body piece; a plurality of sensors disposed on each respective pole in recessed walls in the plurality of poles; a second body piece adapted to contact the second bearing surface on an outside surface of the second body piece, the second body piece having a first recess configured to receive a first condoyle of an artificial knee insert and a second recess configured to receive a second condoyle of the artificial knee insert, the second body piece configured to receive the plurality poles of the first body piece such that the first body piece and second body piece mate together and move relative to one another, a first plurality of poles symmetrically disposed about and aligned with the first recess and a second plurality of poles symmetrically about and aligned with the second recess, where an inside surface of the second body piece contacts the plurality of poles without detectible load transfer when no force is applied to the mated first and second body pieces; and a computer in communication with the plurality of sensors in each respective pole in the plurality of poles, the computer disposed in a recessed cavity between the first body piece and the second body piece when they mate together; where the plurality of sensors in each respective pole are configured to detect a mechanical motion of a respective pole at an onset of a dynamic force exerted on an external surface of the first or the second body piece and wherein the computer is configured to receive a signal from the sensors and provide a measurement and value of the magnitude of the force and location of the force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of monitoring a force between bearing surfaces, comprising:
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embedding inside a weight bearing joint a force monitoring unit, wherein the weight bearing joint includes a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface and wherein the force monitoring unit comprises; a first body piece adapted to contact the first bearing surface on an outside surface of the first body piece, the first body piece comprising a plurality of poles integrally formed with the first body piece and extending relative to the inside surface of the first body piece; a plurality of sensors disposed on each respective pole in the plurality of poles; a second body piece adapted to contact the second bearing surface on an outside surface of the second body piece, the second body piece having at least one recess configured to receive a condoyle of an artificial knee insert, the second body piece configured to receive the plurality of poles of the first body piece such that the first body piece and second body piece mate together and move relative to one another, a first plurality of poles symmetrically disposed about and aligned with the first recess and a second plurality of poles symmetrically about and aligned with the second recess, where an inside surface of the second body piece contacts the plurality of poles without detectible load transfer when no force is applied to the mated first and second body pieces; detecting data representing a mechanical motion of each respective pole in the plurality of poles at an onset of a dynamic force imposed on the monitoring device by the weight bearing joint wherein the detected data provides a measurement and value of the magnitude of the force exerted on a surface of first body piece or the second body piece; conditioning the detected data; processing the conditioned data to determine the location the force is exerted; and transmitting the processed data to a data gathering device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification