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Publication Number
US-11911180-B2
Publication Date
2024-02-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system for monitoring a user includes a garment configured to be placed on a foot of the user, a cover coupled to the garment, and a sensor arrangement between the garment and the cover, wherein the sensor arrangement comprises at least one temperature sensor to measure at least one temperature on the foot of the user. A method for making a system for monitoring a user includes forming a sensor arrangement including at least one sensor lead coupled to a temperature sensor, positioning at least a portion of the sensor arrangement on a garment configured to be placed on a foot of the user, and enclosing at least the portion of the sensor arrangement between the garment and a cover.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a system for monitoring a user that includes a sock configured to be worn on a foot of the user, a cover coupled to a portion of the sock, and a sensor arrangement between the sock and the cover. The sensor arrangement comprises at least one sensor to measure at least one parameter associated with the foot of the user, and the sensor arrangement is positioned to be enclosed by the coupled sock and cover structure.
The invention also provides an electronics housing between the sock and the cover. The cover is sealed to the sock around a perimeter of the sensor arrangement and the housing, forming an enclosed arrangement in which the sensors and the electronics housing are positioned between the sock and the cover.
The disclosed construction includes sensor leads and temperature sensors routed and positioned along foot regions such as an ossa digit region, a phalanges-metatarsals boundary region, a metatarsal-tarsal boundary region, and a heel region. The sensor lead configuration supports strain relief via curved or S-shaped routing and may use bundled/flattened sensor leads and distal lead configurations, while the electronics housing is sealed within an ankle region cavity as part of the covered, sealed architecture.
Claims Coverage
Two independent claims are provided: clm-00001 and clm-00019. Each independent claim recites a foot-worn sensing system architecture that integrates a sock, a cover, a sensor arrangement between the sock and cover, and a sealed housing configuration; one claim additionally specifies an electronics housing between the sock and cover, and the other specifies housing within an ankle portion.
Sock with cover-coupled architecture
A sock configured to be worn on a foot of the user; a cover coupled to a portion of the sock; and a sensor arrangement between the sock and the cover, the sensor arrangement comprising at least one sensor to measure at least one parameter associated with the foot of the user.
Sealed cover around sensor arrangement and housing
An electronics housing between the sock and the cover, wherein the cover is sealed to the sock around a perimeter of the sensor arrangement and the housing.
Ankle-region housing with sealed perimeter
A sock having a sole region and an ankle region configured to be worn on a foot of the user; a cover coupled to a portion of the sole region and a portion of the ankle region; a sensor arrangement between the sock and the cover with at least one sensor to measure at least one parameter associated with the foot of the user; and a housing within the ankle portion and between the sock and the cover, wherein the cover is sealed to the sock at a perimeter of the sensor arrangement and the housing.
The independent claims broadly cover a sealed, foot-worn monitoring system in which a sock and a cover enclose a sensor arrangement, while an electronics housing is positioned and sealed relative to a sensor-arrangement perimeter; one claim specifies a general electronics housing between sock and cover and sealing around the perimeter of both the sensor arrangement and the housing, and the other specifies housing within an ankle portion with sealing at the perimeter of the sensor arrangement and the housing.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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