Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2001-09-18
Hindenburg, Max (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290658
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a physical movement monitoring device and, more particularly, pertains to a device for continuously monitoring the orientation of the physical posture of an individual while traversing a predetermined trail, track or path.
The physical health, fitness, and well-being movement of the past four decades has created a vast industry of products and publications dedicated to the maintenance, measurement, improvement, and enhancement of an individual's physical attributes and abilities, such as strength, stamina, quickness, agility, speed, good muscle tone, substantial lung capacity, and a sound cardiovascular system. Health and fitness publications covering subjects from aerobics to white water rafting, power weight lifting to line dancing, describe and advertise an enormous variety of items that allow an individual to gauge, monitor, improve, and refine physical performance and ability.
Although the physical activities of walking and running, whether pursued as an avocation or as a sport, may not ostensibly appear to lend themselves to the use of gadgetry and scientific instrumentation and measurement, a perusal of any publication devoted to walking and running demonstrates otherwise.
For any serious walker or runner, one of the most critical factors in obtaining maximum results from the workout or training session, and for avoiding injury, is maintaining proper body form or posture, with an emphasis on the proper posture for the torso and head. For walkers and runners, the correct form or body posture includes the eyes forward and the head and neck erect but relaxed. The shoulders should be relaxed but upright, and the back should be straight and upright with the lower back slightly curved. The hands should be held in relaxed fists, and the arms should be bent approximately 90° with the elbows held close to the body for smooth back-and-forth swinging to assist in propelling the body forward. In addition, the legs should be lifting forward from the hips, and the legs should be pushing off from the front portion of the feet.
Both runners and walkers encounter a number of problems and mistakes in attempting to maintain correct form or body posture. For example, many walkers and runners hold the head too far forward with respect to the axis of the torso. The human head weighs between eight and twelve pounds and, if it extends too far forward, this poor posture creates extra work and additional strain for the muscles of the neck, back, and shoulders. In addition, indiscriminately flapping or swinging arms, stomping feet and oversized strides are clear indications of poor body posture. Measured steps and controlled and rhythmic arm swinging rectify these mistakes.
Yet another problem related to posture is that both walkers and runners may develop the habit of dipping one or both of their shoulders as a lengthened and strenuous walk or run increases muscle strain and fatigue. One consequence of the dipping of the shoulders is that the walker or runner's entire body tends to lean or list to one side, or, alternatively, from side to side, and, thus, his or her stride or pace becomes erratic and uneven. As a result of this erratic and uneven movement, there is a marked increase in muscle strain and fatigue not only in the neck, back, and shoulders, but also through the hips, thighs, and calves. Also, undue stress is applied to the foot on the listing or leaning side. Moreover, the dipping of one or both shoulders invariably causes the walker or runner to lean too far forward from the waist up thereby completely thwarting the effort to maintain the proper erect and upright posture that eases and enhances any walking or running workout or training session. Thus, the walker or runner's physical posture or form, embodying, among other attributes, his gait, pace, and stride, is undermined and ruined when the individual lapses into any of the above-described bad habits.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In order to obviate and rectify such inimical habits as holding the head too far forward, dipping one or both shoulders which thereby causes the entire body to lean or list to one side, and also bending and leaning too far forward from the waist up, the prior art discloses a number of devices for indicating and measuring the position and angular movement of the human body so that proper body posture can be maintained.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,494,278 (Badovinac) discloses a housing mountable to the brim of a hat. The housing encases a roller that rolls forward as the person's head or body tilts forward and rearward as the head returns to the upright position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,565,381 (Leighton) discloses a device for measuring angular body movements and which is strapped to the body part or appendage for which measurement is desired. The device includes a calibrated dial and a pointer, both of which are freely and independently rotatable to register the amount of angular flexion in a body part or appendage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,159 (Kane) discloses a device for assisting a golfer in maintaining his visual line of sight with the golf ball during the golfer's swing. The device includes a pair of frame members which connect together and seat on the golfer's head like glasses. The frame members include a chamber substantially filled with a liquid but including an air bubble. The golfer maintains a level line of sight with the golf ball by keeping the air bubble in the center of the chamber throughout the golfer's swing.
None of the above devices, however, are useful for walkers or runners that need to maintain proper body posture and an even, fluid gait or pace throughout their workout or training session.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprehends a body posture monitoring device and, more particularly, comprehends a device for monitoring the orientation of a walker's or runner's body posture and form relative to a traversed path.
The device for monitoring the walker's or runner's body posture and form is removably attachable to the bill of a cap and extends beneath the bill and in front of the individual so the device is continuously viewable by the individual.
The device includes an elongated, transparent tube having a first end, an opposite second end, and an internal bore coequal in length with the tube. The tube can be arcuate-shaped throughout its length, or the tube can be bendable in order to form the arcuate shape for attachment to the bill of the cap. Disposed within the tube, for free, unimpeded, reciprocable movement therein is a shiftable means which is continuously discernible to the individual for providing immediate and constant feedback to the individual on the orientation of the individual's body posture relative to the traversed path and any lateral deviation from the proper upright body posture while traversing the path during the exercise or training session. The shiftable means may be a spherical member, such as a ball bearing, a pellet, or a BB, disposed within the interior bore. The back-and-forth movement of the spherical member occurs concomitant with the movement of the individual on the path so that the spherical member is seen by, and immediately indicates to, the individual any deviations from proper body posture, as well as when proper body posture and form are being maintained.
The tube is preferably attached to opposite sides of the bill of the cap adjacent the area where the bill connects or merges to the cap, and each fastening element includes a plug for insertion into the interior bore at the first and second end so that the bore can be sealed for retaining therein the spherical member.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a monitoring device which provides immediate and continuous feedback to the individual of the orientation of the individual's body posture relative to a traversed path.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a monitoring device which gives the walker or runner an eye-level focus point.
Atwell George C.
Hindenburg Max
LandOfFree
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