Patent US5798935A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5299454A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5299454A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Continuous foot-strike measuring system and method
Assignee: KK Holding AG
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Filing: 1992-12-10
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Granted: 1994-04-05
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Expires: 2012-12-10
Abstract
Abstract A foot-strike measuring system and method using a pair of tandem plates each having at least two sensors along the direction of travel for measuring force. By monitoring the signals on the sensors at the adjacent edges and comparing with those on the nonadjacent sensors, the system determines whether one foot is on both plates or one foot is on each plate. This allows collecting and tracking sensor signals for each foot separately. Center of pressure is also calculated using the speed of the treadmill.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel P. Fuglewicz
- 👤 David A. Schieb
- 👤 Conrad Sonderegger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 00:09
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/103; A61B5/1036; A61B5/1038; A63; A63B; A63B22/00; A63B22/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A foot-strike measuring system comprising: a first and a second plate arranged in tandem with respect to the direction of travel of a subject on said system; first and second sensor means for sensing forces on a respective plate; means for determining from said first and second sensor means whether a single foot is on both plates or one foot is on each plate; and processing means for combining signals from said first and second sensor means when one foot on both plates is determined and segregating said signals from said first and second sensor means when one foot on each plate is determined to measure individual foot-strikes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A foot-strike measuring system comprising: a first and a second plate arranged in tandem with respect to the direction of travel of a subject on said system; first and second sensor means for sensing forces on a respective plate; means for determining from said first and second sensor means whether a single foot is on both plates or one foot is on each plate; and processing means for combining signals from said first and second sensor means when one foot on both plates is determined and segregating said signals from said first and second sensor means when one foot on each plate is determined to measure individual foot-strikes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein: said sensor means each include at least two first transducers spaced along said direction of travel; and said determining means determines a single foot on both plates when the sum of forces on a first pair of first transducers, on transducer from each plate and adjacent to each other, is greater than the sum of forces on a second pair of first transducers, one transducer from each plate and separated by said first pair of first transducers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
101 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein: said sensor means each include at least two second transducers spaced along said direction of travel and spaced transverse to said direction of travel from a respective first transducer; and said determining means determines a single foot on both plates when the sum of forces on first pairs of first and second transducers, one transducer from each plate and adjacent to each other, is greater than the sum of forces on second pairs of first and second transducers, one transducer from each plate and separated by said first pairs of first and second transducers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 3, wherein said processing means determines a center of pressure for each foot-strike from forces on said first and second pairs of transducers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein: said sensor means each include at least two first transducer spaced along said direction of travel and at least two second transducers spaced along said direction of travel and spaced transverse to said direction of travel from a respective first transducer; and said processing means determines a center of pressure for each foot-strike from forces on said first and second pairs of transducers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
A system according to claim 5, wherein said system includes: a treadmill belt above said plates; sensor for sensing the speed of said treadmill belt; and said processing means determines a center of pressure for each foot-strike from forces on said first and second pairs of transducers and speed of said treadmill belt.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system according to claim 1, including a treadmill belt above said plates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 7, including means for controlling the speed of said treadmill belt to maintain said subject substantially centered over said plates along said direction of travel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 1, including means for resetting each of said sensor means individually when a force is not sensed by the sensor means in a measuring cycle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor means each include at least two first transducers spaced along said direction of travel, and said transducers sense forces along parallel axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor means each include at least two first transducers spaced along said direction of travel, and each transducer senses forces along one of three orthogonal axes.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of individually processing signals of consecutive foot-strikes in a system having two force plates in tandem along a direction of travel and a first and a second sensor means for a respective plate, comprising: determining from said first and second sensor means whether the force on said two plates are nearer adjacent or non-adjacent edges of said plates along said direction of travel; and combining said signals from said first and second sensor means for a single foot-strike when the force is determined to be nearer to adjacent edges and segregating said signals from said first and second sensor means as a pair of foot-strikes when the force is determined to be near to non-adjacent edges.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of individually processing signals of consecutive foot-strikes in a system having two force plates in tandem along a direction of travel and a first and a second sensor means for a respective plate, comprising: determining from said first and second sensor means whether the force on said two plates are nearer adjacent or non-adjacent edges of said plates along said direction of travel; and combining said signals from said first and second sensor means for a single foot-strike when the force is determined to be nearer to adjacent edges and segregating said signals from said first and second sensor means as a pair of foot-strikes when the force is determined to be near to non-adjacent edges.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-04-04 | 1997-10-04 | 1998-04-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-04-04 | 2001-10-04 | 2002-04-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-04-04 | 2005-10-04 | 2006-04-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |