Power management of a system for measuring the acceleration of a body part

• US 20050177929A1
• Filed: 01/06/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Riddell Incorporated (BRG Sports, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Riddell Incorporated (BRG Sports, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chu, Jeffrey J., Greenwald, Richard M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/425
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/046 Means for detecting hazards or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4076 Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system A61B5/4821, A61B5/4824 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/30 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/60 muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/007 American football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for determining the magnitude of linear and rotational acceleration of an impact to a body part. The apparatus can be used with protective sports equipment, such as a sports helmet, wherein the apparatus includes a battery, a number of accelerometers positioned proximate to the outer surface of the head, and an electronic device with a processor and a transmitter to transmit data received from the accelerometers. To maximize the battery life and minimize power consumption by the electronic device, the apparatus includes a power management system with a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly sends a first signal to the electronic device to initiate operation when the sensor assembly detects the presence of an object within the helmet, and a second signal to the electronic device to cease operation when the sensor assembly detects the absence of the object. The sensor assembly may be a proximity sensor, more specifically an inductive, capacitive, or ultrasonic sensor.

Claims

1. A sports helmet comprising:

a battery powered electronic device; and

,

a proximity sensor with an output element that sends a first signal to initiate a power-up cycle of the electronic device and a second signal to initiate a power-down cycle of the electronic device.

2. The sports helmet of claim 1, wherein the output element sends the first signal when the sensor detects the presence of an object within the shell.

3. The sports helmet of claim 2 wherein the output element sends the second signal when the sensor detects the absence of the object from the shell.

4. The sports helmet of claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a processor linked with a plurality of accelerometers configured to detect acceleration upon an impact to the helmet, and a transmitter to transmit data received from the accelerometers.

5. The sports helmet of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor is one of a capacitance sensor and an ultrasonic sensor.

6. A protective sports equipment assembly comprising:

a battery;

an electronic device having a processor, a plurality of accelerometers configured to measure an impact to the equipment, and a transmitter to transmit data received from the accelerometers; and

,

a sensor that sends a first signal to the electronic device to initiate operation when the sensor detects the presence of an object, and a second signal to the electronic device to cease operation when the sensor detects the absence of the object.

7. The protective sports equipment assembly of claim 6, wherein the sensor generates the first signal when the object is at a first distance from the sensor, and generates the second signal when the object is at a second distance from the sensor.

8. The protective sports equipment assembly of claim 6, wherein the sensor includes a photoelectric sensor that detects either the presence or absence of the object.

9. The protective sports equipment assembly of claim 6, wherein the sensor includes a capacitive sensor that generates an electrostatic field to detect either the presence or absence of the object.

10. The protective sports equipment assembly of claim 9, wherein the capacitive sensor is unshielded and includes a compensation probe.

11. The protective sports equipment assembly of claim 6, wherein the sensor includes a first ultrasonic sensor that emits high-frequency sound waves to detect either the presence or absence of the object.

12. A sports helmet comprising:

a shell;

a battery powered electronic device positioned within the shell; and

,

a proximity sensor that sends a first signal to the electronic device to do one of either initiate operation when the sensor assembly detects the presence of an object within the helmet, or cease operation when the sensor assembly detects the absence of the object.

13. The sports helmet of claim 12, wherein the sensor sends a second signal to the electronic device to do the other of either cease operation when the sensor assembly detects the absence of the object, or initiate operation when the sensor assembly detects the presence of the object.

14. The sports helmet of claim 12, wherein sensor is a limit switch that detects the presence or absence of the object in the helmet.

15. The sports helmet of claim 12, wherein the sensor is a capacitive proximity sensor that generates an electrostatic field to detect the presence or absence of the object in the helmet.

16. The sports helmet of claim 12, wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic proximity sensor that emits high-frequency sound waves to detect the presence or absence of the object in the helmet.

17. A sports helmet comprising:

a shell having a strap to releasably secure the helmet to a wearer'"'"'s head;

a battery powered electronic device; and

,

a switch with a first electrical contact affixed to the shell and a second electrical contact affixed to the strap, wherein the first and second electrical contacts are joined to form an electrical connection with the electronic device.

18. The sports helmet of claim 17, the helmet further comprising a snap assembly with a first snap component affixed to the shell, and wherein the first contact is electrically associated with the first snap component.

19. The sports helmet of claim 18, the snap assembly further comprising a second snap component affixed to the strap, and wherein the second contact is electrically associated with the second snap component.

20. The sports helmet of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second electrical contacts has an insulator.

21. The sports helmet of claim 17, wherein the battery powered electronic device comprises a processor linked with a plurality of sensing devices configured to detect acceleration upon an impact to the helmet, and a transmitter to transmit data received from the sensing device.

22. The sports helmet of claim 21, wherein the sensing devices are one of single axis accelerometers and multi-axis accelerometers.

23. The sports helmet of claim 17, wherein the electronic device has a power-up cycle that is initiated by the electrical connection between the first and second contacts, and wherein the electronic device has a power-down cycle that is initiated upon the disruption of the electrical connection between the first and second contacts.

24. The sports helmet of claim 18, wherein the first snap component is configured to releasably connect with an external power source for recharging of the battery.

25. A sports helmet having an electrical circuit and a shell with a strap that releasably secures the helmet to a wearer'"'"'s head, the helmet comprising:

a first electrical contact affixed to the shell; and

,

a second electrical contact affixed to the strap, wherein the first and second contacts are connectable to close the electrical circuit.

26. The sports helmet of claim 25, wherein the electrical circuit further comprises a power supply and a device configured to detect acceleration upon an impact to the helmet.

27. The sports helmet of claim 25, wherein the helmet further comprises a snap assembly with a first snap component affixed to the shell and a second snap component affixed to the strap, and wherein the first contact is electrically associated with the first snap component and the second contact is electrically associated with the second snap component.

28. The sports helmet of claim 27, wherein a pair of leads extends from the power supply and the device to the first contact associated with the first snap component.

29. The sports helmet of claim 27, wherein the first contact includes an insulator for at least one of the leads, wherein the insulator prevents inadvertent electrical conductivity between the leads.

30. The sports helmet of claim 27, wherein the second contact has a circular configuration to facilitate connection with the first contact to close the electrical circuit.