Method and apparatus for measuring heat flow
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining caloric expenditure by measuring total heat flow from the skin surface of a wearer of the apparatus comprising:
- a) a heat flow sensor configured to measure heat flow, said heat flow sensor including;
a1) an interlayer; and
a2) first and second thermocouple elements formed on a first surface near an edge of said interlayer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining caloric expenditure of a subject. The apparatus includes a heat flow sensor having an overlay and/or conductive layer for measuring the evaporative heat loss, in addition to substantially total heat loss, for the subject. The sensor also includes a structure to enhance the migration of perspiration from edges or a bottom of the sensor onto an active region of the sensor. One sensor includes electrodes to effectuate electroendosmosis such that positively biased electrodes are formed at an edge or bottom of the sensor and a negatively biased electrode is formed at a center or top of the sensor. Through electroendosmosis the perspiration is migrated from the positively biased electrodes at the edge or bottom of the sensor to the negatively biased electrode in the center or top of the sensor. Another sensor places thermocouples at edges of a sensing portion to reduce a distance that the perspiration has to migrate. Enhancing the migration of perspiration enhances the measurement of evaporative heat loss. The output of the sensor can also be provided to a device such as a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.
26 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining caloric expenditure by measuring total heat flow from the skin surface of a wearer of the apparatus comprising:
a) a heat flow sensor configured to measure heat flow, said heat flow sensor including;
a1) an interlayer; and
a2) first and second thermocouple elements formed on a first surface near an edge of said interlayer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32)
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12. An apparatus for determining caloric expenditure by measuring total heat flow from the skin surface of a wearer of the apparatus comprising:
a) heat flow sensor means for measuring heat flow, said heat flow sensor means including;
a1) thermocouple means for forming thermocouple elements at an edge of said heat flow sensor means.
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16. An apparatus for determining caloric expenditure by measuring total heat flow from the skin surface of a wearer of the apparatus comprising:
a) a heat flow sensor configured to measure heat flow, said heat flow sensor including;
a1) at least one positively biased electrode; and
a2) at least one negatively biased electrode.
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29. An apparatus for determining caloric expenditure by measuring total heat flow from the skin surface of a wearer of the apparatus comprising:
a) heat flow sensor means for measuring heat flow, said heat flow sensor means including;
a1) means for migrating perspiration from an edge of said heat flow sensor means to a most active region of said heat flow sensor means.
Specification