Support structure

Inventors

REFSNÆS, Jørn • VOLDSUND, Arve • BJØRKLI, Cato Alexander • Circhirillo, Leila Yousif • FURNES, Kjell Are

Assignees

Ably Medical As

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus comprising one or more resilient members for supporting a human or other animal, wherein the one or more resilient members each comprise one or more sensor elements that are attached to and run at least partially along the length of the respective resilient member, and each of the one or more sensor elements is configured to provide an electrical response proportional to the amount of movement of the respective resilient member.

Core Innovation

The invention describes a support structure for supporting a person that uses a plurality of elongate, resilient members arranged parallel to each other in an array across the support structure. Each resilient member extends lengthwise in the direction of the longest side of the support structure, from a first end at the top of the support structure to a second, opposite end at the bottom of the support structure. The resilient members include sensor element(s) configured to provide an electrical response proportional to movement of the respective resilient member.

The sensor elements are piezoelectric material configured to be attached to and run along a length of the respective resilient member such that the resilient member(s) and sensor element(s) have parallel longitudinal axes. The sensor elements provide an electrical response in the form of electrical charge, electrical current, or electrical voltage proportional to the amount of movement of the respective resilient member. The support structure is defined as not configured as a pad, and the resilient members can be configured as primary support elements.

In a system implementation, a computer is operatively connected to the sensor elements to measure an electrical response from each of the sensor elements and output a signal including data concerning the movement of the resilient members based on the measured electrical response. The disclosure also includes structural arrangements such as resilient members with parallel longitudinal axes, resilient members separated laterally in a widthwise direction with each fixed against lateral movement, and sensor element arrangements that can be embedded or encased.

Claims Coverage

The partial claims content provides three independent claims covering a support structure with parallel elongate resilient members carrying piezoelectric sensor elements, a system that adds a computer measuring electrical responses and outputting movement data, and a support structure with a bracket spanning an end and electrical connectors linking to respective sensor elements. Across the independent claims, the core inventive features are the elongate parallel resilient-member array with piezoelectric sensor elements aligned to the member axes, the electrical response proportional to movement, and the support structure not being configured as a pad.

The independent claims collectively focus on support structures using parallel elongate resilient members carrying piezoelectric sensor elements aligned with the members’ longitudinal axes to generate electrical responses proportional to movement. One independent claim adds a computer measuring electrical responses and outputting data concerning movement, and another independent claim adds a lateral bracket with connectors electrically connected to respective sensor elements.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications