Method and apparatus for limiting range of motion of body
First Claim
1. An apparatus for warning a user about motion of a first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to a second portion of the user'"'"'s body, comprising:
- a first sensor mountable on the first portion of the user'"'"'s body and configured to measure an angle of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to a reference;
a second sensor mountable on the second portion of the user'"'"'s body and configured to measure an angle of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to the reference;
a controller in communication with the first and second sensors;
a warning mechanism in communication with the controller;
wherein the controller determines a difference between the angle of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body and the angle of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body indicative of an amount of movement of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to the second portion of the user'"'"'s body, and activates the warning mechanism when the difference is beyond a predetermined angle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for warning a user about undesirable motion of a first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to a second portion of the user'"'"'s body. In one representative embodiment, an apparatus for warning a user about motion of a first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to a second portion of the user'"'"'s body comprises at least one sensor configured to measure the angle of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to a reference. The sensor is configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s body, and is in communication with a controller. A warning mechanism is also in communication with the controller, and the controller is operable to activate the warning mechanism upon movement of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to the second portion of the user'"'"'s body beyond a predetermined angle relative to the reference.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for warning a user about motion of a first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to a second portion of the user'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a first sensor mountable on the first portion of the user'"'"'s body and configured to measure an angle of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to a reference; a second sensor mountable on the second portion of the user'"'"'s body and configured to measure an angle of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to the reference; a controller in communication with the first and second sensors; a warning mechanism in communication with the controller; wherein the controller determines a difference between the angle of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body and the angle of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body indicative of an amount of movement of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to the second portion of the user'"'"'s body, and activates the warning mechanism when the difference is beyond a predetermined angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for warning a user about motion of a first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to a second portion of the user'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a first sensor mountable on the first portion of the user'"'"'s body and configured to measure an angle of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to a reference; a second sensor mountable on the second portion of the user'"'"'s body and configured to measure an angle of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to the reference; a controller in communication with the first and second sensors; a warning mechanism in communication with the controller; wherein the controller determines a difference between the angle of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body and the angle of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body indicative of an amount of movement of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body relative to the second portion of the user'"'"'s body, and activates the warning mechanism when the difference is beyond a predetermined angle; wherein the predetermined angle is a first predetermined angle; and wherein the controller is configured to compare the angle of the first portion of the user'"'"'s body with the first predetermined angle and the angle of the second portion of the user'"'"'s body with a second predetermined angle.
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11. An apparatus for maintaining a neutral orientation of a user'"'"'s spine, comprising:
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a mounting portion configured to be placed on the user'"'"'s upper body; at least one elongated member extending from the mounting portion to a pelvic region of the user; a switch mechanism coupled to the mounting portion; a switch activation member coupled to the elongated member and movable longitudinally therewith and operable to activate the switch mechanism; and a warning mechanism electrically coupled to the switch mechanism; wherein at least one of the mounting portion or the elongated member is movable relative to the other upon flexion or extension of the user'"'"'s spine, and the warning mechanism is operable to warn the user of flexion or extension of the spine beyond a predetermined range of motion upon activation of the switch mechanism by the switch activation member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification