Wearable resistance garment with power measurement

• US 9,656,117 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tau Orthopedics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tau Orthopedics, LLC
• Inventors: Matsuura, Belinko K., Matsuura, David G., von Hoffmann, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): CROW, STEPHEN R
• Application Number:
  US15/078,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20160199685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1-148
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00189 using resistance provided by plastic deformable materials, e.g. lead bars or kneadable masses resilient force-resistors made of material having high internal friction A63B21/028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0053 using alternators or dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/008 using hydraulic or pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0083 of the piston-cylinder type using pneumatic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0087
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00845 using electrorheological or magnetorheological fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0087 of the piston-cylinder type using hydraulic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0083
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/012 using frictional force-resisters electromagnetically-controlled brakes A63B21/0056
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/023 Wound springs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/028 made of material having high internal friction, e.g. rubber, steel wool, intended to be compressed resistance provided by plastic deformable materials A63B21/00189
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/159 Using levers for transmitting forces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4011 to the lower limbs means for physically limiting movements of body parts A63B69/0057
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4017 to the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4025 Resistance devices worn on the user's body A63B21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4039 contoured to fit to specific body parts, e.g. back, knee or neck support arrangements for attaching exercising apparatus to the user's body A63B21/4001; handles, pedals, bars or platforms A63B21/4033
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 : with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/44 : Angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 : Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/202 : glucose
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/205 : P-CO2, i.e. partial CO2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 : P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/42 : rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/50 : temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/60 : muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/65 : skin conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 : calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/02 : for the abdomen, the spinal column or the torso muscles related to shoulders (e.g. chest muscles)
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0482 : primarily by articulating the hip joints A63B23/0211, A63B23/0405, A63B23/0476 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0494 : primarily by articulating the knee joints A63B23/0405, A63B23/0476 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1245 : Primarily by articulating the shoulder joint A63B23/129 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1281 : primarily by articulating the elbow joint
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 : Social networking

Abstract

Disclosed is a technical training garment configured for use with modular, interchangeable electronics and resistance modules. The garment provides resistance to movement throughout an angular range of motion and tracks biomechanical parameters such as stride length, stride rate, angular velocity and incremental power expended by the wearer. The garment may be low profile, and worn by a wearer as a primary garment or beneath or over conventional clothing. Alternatively, the device may be worn as a supplemental training tool during conventional training protocols.

Claims

1. A wearable garment training system for increasing physiological load and monitoring power exerted to overcome the load, comprising:

a waist portion;

a left leg portion;

a right leg portion;

a left hip resistance unit removably carried by a connector on the garment and aligned with a rotational axis of the leg such that movement of the left leg portion relative to the waist portion is resisted by the left hip resistance unit;

a right hip resistance unit removably carried by a connector on the garment and aligned with a rotational axis of the leg such that movement of the right leg portion relative to the waist portion is resisted by the right hip resistance unit;

a left sensor;

a right sensor;

wherein the left and right sensors each capture data for enabling the determination of force exerted by a wearer against the respective left and right resistance units throughout a range of motion.

2. A training system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the sensors is configured to measure force applied against a resistance unit during extension.

3. A training system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the sensors is configured to measure force applied against a resistance unit during flexion.

4. A training system as in claim 1, wherein at least a left sensor and a right sensor are configured to measure force applied against the respective resistance units during extension.

5. A training system as in claim 4, wherein at least a left sensor and a right sensor are configured to measure force applied against the respective resistance units during flexion.

6. A training system as in claim 1, further comprising a sensor for determining angular velocity of a wearer'"'"'s leg throughout the range of motion.

7. A training system as in claim 6, further comprising a processor, for determining power exerted throughout the range of motion.

8. A training system as in claim 1, further comprising a transmitter, for transmitting force data to a remote device.

9. A training system as in claim 6, further comprising a transmitter, for transmitting force data and angular velocity data to a remote device.

10. A training system as in claim 1, further comprising a left knee resistance unit and a right knee resistance unit.

11. A training system as in claim 1, wherein the left and right hip resistance units comprise rotatable viscous dampers.

12. A training system as in claim 10, wherein the system imposes a first level of resistance to movement across a hip and a second level of resistance across a knee, and the first level is greater than the second level.

13. A training system as in claim 1, wherein each resistance unit comprises a housing and a femoral lever extending from the housing.

14. A training system as in claim 1, wherein each sensor is in force transmitting contact with a femoral lever.

15. A training system as in claim 1, comprising electronics for capturing data related to angular position of at least one of the left and right leg.

16. A training system as in claim 1, wherein the garment comprises a compression fabric.

17. A training system as in claim 16, wherein the fabric comprises a polyester elastane fabric with moisture wicking properties.

18. A training system as in claim 1, wherein the left and right resistance units each impose a resistance of at least about 5 inch pounds.

19. A training system as in claim 18, wherein the left and right resistance units each impose a resistance of at least about 10 inch pounds.

20. A training system as in claim 18, wherein the left and right resistance units each impose a resistance of at least about 15 inch pounds.

21. A training system as in claim 1, wherein the garment comprises a wearable harness.

22. A training system as in claim 21, wherein the harness comprises a waist band and left and right leg bands.

23. A training system as in claim 1, further comprising an ANT+transmitter.

24. A training system as in claim 1, wherein each sensor is configured to capture data for enabling the determination of stride length.

25. A training system as in claim 1, wherein each sensor is configured to capture data for enabling the determination of stride rate.

26. A training system as in claim 1, wherein at least one sensor comprises a strain gauge.

27. A training system as in claim 1, wherein at least one sensor comprises a torque sensor.

28. A training system as in claim 1, wherein each sensor is configured to capture angular velocity data.

29. A training system as in claim 1, wherein the left sensor and right sensors are configured to capture data reflecting left side and right side asymmetries in performance.

30. A training system as in claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to determine power to heart rate ratio.

31. A training system as in claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to determine power to weight ratio.

32. A training system as in claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to determine efficiency factor.