Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02198086 2005-07-27
Apparatus for indicating correct or
faulty back posture
s The present invention relates to a device for placing on a person's head to
indicate
correct or incorrect upright posture during the performance of various
activities in a
standing or sitting position, comprising a balance element connected to a
headband, a
hairband, an ear clip or other appropriate means for attachment to a person's
head.
~o A device of this kind is taught in the applicant's own Norwegian Patent
1X,349. This
device consists of a balance body which is attached to a U-shaped band, which
in turn is
attached to a hairband or similar. A spring or similar is located between the
legs of the
U-band so that the balance body will tip forward when the head is moved too
far
forward and out of a correct head position. When this happens, a signal will
be given to
~s indicate that the user has assumed an incorrect sitting posture.
This device functions extremely well under qualified guidance, but
nevertheless
encumbered with certain weaknesses. For example, the device is rather large
anu lumpy
and projects quite high above the user's head. This means that the device
could easily
zo be torn off the head if the user knocks into a low door frame or similar.
Further, the device has proven to be somewhat diffcult to calibrate and is
very sensitive
to deviations from the correct calibration. Moreover, it is difficult for the
user to
perceive when the balance body of the device tips forward, and he or she is
therefore
zs dependent on either a mirror or having another person present as an
observer.
Moreover, the device will only indicate incorrect head position when the head
is tipped
too far forward. It will not indicate an incorrect head position when the head
~s tipped
sideways.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for
placement
on a person's head to indicate the person's correct or incorrect upright
posture during
performance of activities in a standing or sitting position, the device
comprising an
inclination indicator, the inclination indicator being connected to an
attachment means
CA 02198086 2005-07-27
la
for attachment to the person's head, wherein the inclination indicator
includes a fixed
body which is fixedly mounted on the attachment means and an indicator body
moveable
on a surface substantially coincident with a horizontal plane from a start
position when a
certain degree of deviation of the head from the correct position occurs, in a
plurality of
directions relative to the fixed body, and wherein the indicator body returns
to the start
position when the correct head position is once more assumed, and the device
further
comprising a signalling means associated with the fixed body, whereby the
signalling
means is activated by the indicator body to give an audible signal in response
to
movement of the indicator body in each of at least two of the plurality of
directions.
In order to eliminate these disadvantages it is therefore proposed to design
the device as
described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
WO96107454 ''. , y' PCTlN095100150
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Figure 1 illustrates a device where the moveable body is a slide which can
move in a
channel in the fixed body.
Figure 2 shaves a device where the moveable body is a pin which, when the head
s position is incorrect, will move out of a recess in the .fixed body.
Figures 3a and 3b show the movement of the moveable body according to Figure
2.
Figure 4 illustrates a device where the moveable body is a ball which will
call slang an
~o inclined plane when tire head position is incorrect.
Figure S shows a section through the device in Figure 4 along the line V-V.
Figures 6 - 9 show a moveable body made of a disc which is designed to mane in
a hale
~s in the fixed body:
Figure 6 shows the device from above and with the moveable body in a neutral
position;
Figure 7 shou~s a section along the line VIl-VII in Figure 6;
Figure 8 shows the device from above with the moveable body displaced fiom the
neutral position;
Figure 9 shows a section along the line IX-I~ in Figure 8.
zs
In Figure 1, a device 1 is shown placed on a person's head 2. with the aid of
an
attachment means 3, which may be a hairband, a headband or another appropriate
means. The device 1 consists of a fixed body 4, which is firmly secured to the
attachment means 3, and a moveable body 5, which can move translationally
relative to
ao the fixed body 4.
In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure I, the moveable body 5
consists of a
slide block Sa which is designed to move in a channel 6 in the fixed body 4.
When the
position of the head is correct, the block Sa will preferably be at the
highest point of the
~s head and preferably in the rear end of the channel 6. if the head is bent
toe far forward,
the weight of the block Sa will overcome the frictional forces against the
channel 6 and
the block Sa will move forward in the channel 6. The materials and design of
the block
WO 961x7454 " ~ , H
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Sa and the fixed body can be chosen so that an audible sound is made when the
block Sa
strikes the end of the channel 6.
In Figure 2, a second embodiment of the device is show. Here, the moveable
body 5
s consists of a pin Sb and the fixed body consists of a holder 4b equipped
with a through-
going slot 7 which defines a place 8 having a recess 9 at the rear end
thereof. 4t'hen the
position of the head is correct, the pin Sb is in the recess 9, but when the
head is tipped
too far forward, it will roll out of the recess 9 and down the plane 8 and
preferably make
an audible sound when it strikes against the end of the holder 4b. Figures 3a
and 36
~o show the position of the pin Sb when the position of the head is correct
and incorrect,
respectively.
An embodiment is shown in Figure 4 where the moveable body consists of a ball
Se and
the fixed body of a box 4c. The box 4c is equipped with an inclined plane 10
which is
is preferably curved in such a way that it inclines from the edges of the box
and down
towards a bottom point 11 at the back edge 12 of the box. In the neutral
position, the
ball Sc will be at the lowest point 11 of the inclined plane. When the head is
tipped too
far forward or perhaps to the side, the inclined plane will move past the
horizontal
position and the lowest point 11 will thereby come to be higher than the
inclined plane
zo at the ~posite end thereof. The ball will thus roll down the inclined plane
and strike
against the box wall, preferably making an audible sound in doing so. The box
4c is
preferably closed so that the ball 5c is prevented from falling out. The box
4c is
attached in an appropriate manner to a headband or similar.
as Figures 6 - 9 show a fourth embodiment where the moveable body consists of
a disc Sd
and the fixed body consists similarly of a disc 4d of greater diameter. As can
best be
seen in Figure 7, the disc 4d is double and in one wall bas a hole 13 of a
smaller
diameter than the diameter of the disc Sd. Said disc Sd is also double, but
the walls in
this case are only connected in the centre of the disc. The disc Sd is placed
in the hole
ao 13 so that one of the walls 14 of the disc Sd is on the inside of the edge
of the hole,
whilst the other wall 15 is on the outside. When the position of the head is
correct, the
disc Sd is centred in the hole 13. On deviation from the correct head
position, the disc
Sd will shift relative to the hole 13 and clearly indicate that the head
position is
incorrect. Also in this case, an audible sound will preferably be made when
the disc Sd
ss reaches its outermost position. Both the disc Sd and the disc 4d are
preferably double
curved, so that the device is less sensitive to movement. The curve can be
varied
according to the desired degree of sensitivity.
W 0 96107454 .~ PCTlN09SllN1 t S0
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In an embodiment that is nut illustrated, the moveable body may consist of a
mercury
ball or similar which on deviation from the correct head position moves in
such a way
that it closes an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit may be formed so
that it emits
s an audible sound, e.g., a piping sound, actuates a vibration device, gives a
light signal or
in another mannor indicates that an incorrect head position has been assumed.
The device may also be equipped with a proximity sensor which detects the
position of
the moveable body and gives a continuous or stepwise signal dependent on the
position.
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