US5158089A — Posture-monitoring headband device

Claim 1

Independent Claim 143 words

A posture-monitoring headband device comprising: a headband, adjustable in circumference, adapted to be worn by a human subject; a strap, attached to said headband at a front location and at a rear location, traversing overtop the subject's head in an arcuate path located substantially in a saggital body plane; a housing, having on a bottom side thereof strap attachment means captively engaging said strap in a manner disposing said housing substantially above said strap with freedom to be adjustably positioned along said arcuate path over a range including an operational position in which a predetermined normal disposition of subject's head results in a substantially level horizontal position of the housing; level-sensing means, disposed within said housing, adapted to sense predetermined deviations from said level horizontal position in the subject's saggital plane; and indicating means adapted to indicate said deviations kinesthetically to the subject.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 143 words

A posture-monitoring headband device comprising: a headband, adjustable in circumference, adapted to be worn by a human subject; a strap, attached to said headband at a front location and at a rear location, traversing overtop the subject's head in an arcuate path located substantially in a saggital body plane; a housing, having on a bottom side thereof strap attachment means captively engaging said strap in a manner disposing said housing substantially above said strap with freedom to be adjustably positioned along said arcuate path over a range including an operational position in which a predetermined normal disposition of subject's head results in a substantially level horizontal position of the housing; level-sensing means, disposed within said housing, adapted to sense predetermined deviations from said level horizontal position in the subject's saggital plane; and indicating means adapted to indicate said deviations kinesthetically to the subject.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 99 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 1 wherein said level-sensing means comprises: a first level-sensing switch disposed in particular orientation relative to said housing so as to change contact state whenever said housing deviates from said level position, in a first direction in the saggital plane, beyond a first predetermined angle, and a second level-sensing switch disposed in particular orientation relative to said housing so as to change contact state whenever the position of said housing deviates from said level position, in a second direction in the saggital plane, opposite the first direction, beyond a second predetermined angle.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 2 wherein the first and second predetermined angles are each designated to be within a range between 2 degrees and 7 degrees.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 52 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 3 wherein said first level-sensing switch and said second level-sensing switch are implemented as single-pole-single-throw mercury-type switches connected in parallel with each other, and are mounted in an orientation such as to present an open circuit when said housing is located in said level position.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 56 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 4 said indicating means comprises an audible sound transducer connected in an electrical circuit along with said two parallel-connected mercury-type switches, a battery and an on-off switch, said circuit being adapted to cause said transducer to emit an audible sound in response to either of said switches making contact.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 45 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 5 further comprising time delay means in said circuit adapted to introduce a time delay of predetermined duration between the time of either of said switches making contact and the initiation of audible sound emitted from said transducer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 6 wherein said time delay means comprises a capacitor connected in parallel with said transducer and a resistor connected in series in a circuit path between said battery and said capacitor.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 47 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 6 further comprising time delay selection means, associated in said circuit with said time delay means, adapted to enable the subject to set said time delay to a selected one of at least two predetermined values of time delay duration.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 86 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 8 wherein said time delay means comprises: a capacitor connected in parallel with said transducer; a first resistor, sized in resistance to provide, in conjunction with said capacitor, a first predetermined time delay; a second resistor, sized in resistance to provide, in conjunction with said capacitor, a second predetermined time delay; and a selector switch adapted to enable selection of either one of said first or said second resistor, thusly selecting said first or said second predetermined time delay.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 54 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 9 wherein: the first time delay is made to be approximately 0.5 seconds and a corresponding position of said selector switch is designated BEGINNING, and the second time delay is made to be approximately 0.25 seconds and a corresponding position of said selector switch is designated ADVANCED.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a first metallic weighting part removably attached to said housing in a recessed upper peripheral region thereof.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

The posture-monitoring device as defined in claim 11 further comprising a second metallic weighting part removably attached to said housing in the recessed upper peripheral region thereof.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 231 words

A posture-monitoring headband device comprising: a headband, adjustable in circumference, adapted to be worn by a human subject; a strap, attached to said headband at a front location and at a rear location, traversing overtop the subject's head in an arcuate path located substantially in a saggital body plane; a housing, having on a bottom side thereof strap attachment means captively engaging said strap in a manner such as to dispose said housing substantially above said strap with freedom to be adjustably positioned along said arcuate path over a range including an operational position in which a predetermined normal disposition of subject's head results in a substantially level horizontal position of said housing; level sensing means, disposed within said housing, comprising a pair of parallel-connected switches adapted to change from an open state to a closed state whenever subject's head becomes inclined beyond a designated angle of deviation in either direction in the saggital plane from said normal disposition; indicating means, including a battery, cooperating with said level sensing means so as to provide an audible indication in response to said switches changing to a closed state; and delay means, in an electrical circuit including said level sensing means and said indicating means, adapted to introduce a predetermined time delay between the time of said switches changing to a closed state and the time of initiation of a consequential audible indication.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 231 words

A posture-monitoring headband device comprising: a headband, adjustable in circumference, adapted to be worn by a human subject; a strap, attached to said headband at a front location and at a rear location, traversing overtop the subject's head in an arcuate path located substantially in a saggital body plane; a housing, having on a bottom side thereof strap attachment means captively engaging said strap in a manner such as to dispose said housing substantially above said strap with freedom to be adjustably positioned along said arcuate path over a range including an operational position in which a predetermined normal disposition of subject's head results in a substantially level horizontal position of said housing; level sensing means, disposed within said housing, comprising a pair of parallel-connected switches adapted to change from an open state to a closed state whenever subject's head becomes inclined beyond a designated angle of deviation in either direction in the saggital plane from said normal disposition; indicating means, including a battery, cooperating with said level sensing means so as to provide an audible indication in response to said switches changing to a closed state; and delay means, in an electrical circuit including said level sensing means and said indicating means, adapted to introduce a predetermined time delay between the time of said switches changing to a closed state and the time of initiation of a consequential audible indication.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 35 words

The posture-monitoring headband device as defined in claim 13 further comprising switch and associated circuit means adapted to enable switchable selection of said predetermined time delay from a choice of at least two predetermined values.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

The posture-monitoring headband device as defined in claim 13 further comprising a supplemental weighting accessory part, having a designated weight, removably attached to an upper peripheral region of said housing.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-10-27	1996-04-27	1996-10-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-10-27	2000-04-27	2000-10-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-10-27	2004-04-27	2004-10-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Posture-monitoring headband device

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