Variable stiffness treadmill system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9757610-B2
Application number	US-201415032934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2014
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A variable stiffness treadmill system having a variable stiffness mechanism, a split-belt treadmill, a counterweight system, and a body weight support for supporting an individual and varying the stiffness below the individual on the treadmill for research and rehabilitation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A variable stiffness treadmill system comprising:
an elevated split-belt treadmill comprising of a first belt and a second belt;
a motor operatively connected to the split-belt treadmill for driving the first and second belts of the split-belt treadmill;
a variable stiffness mechanism operatively connected to the split-belt treadmill for varying the vertical stiffness of the first belt and the second belt, the variable stiffness mechanism comprising:
a linear track; and
a spring-loaded lever operatively connected to the linear track;

a counterweight system operatively connected to the split-belt treadmill to counter balance the weight of an individual on the split-belt treadmill; and
a body-weight support mounted to a post, the body weight support capable of supporting the weight of the individual relative to the post, wherein the spring-loaded lever is adjustable to vary the stiffness of the elevated split-belt treadmill.

2. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an inclinometer is operatively connected to the split-belt treadmill for the measurement of the inclination of the split-belt treadmill relative to an underlying surface.

3. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 1 , wherein the post is engaged to a rail for mounting the body-weight support.

4. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 1 , wherein the body weight support comprises a harness.

5. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 4 , wherein the harness further comprises at least one loadcell for measuring the weight of the individual engaged to the body-weight support.

6. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 1 , wherein the first belt and the second belt of the split-belt treadmill are each supported at about 70 cm above the floor and each independently deflect downward to a maximum of about 30° from a horizontal position.

7. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 1 , wherein the stiffness of the first belt and the second belt may be adjusted independently.

8. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sliding joint operatively connected between the split-belt treadmill and the spring-loaded lever, wherein the sliding joint is engaged to the linear rail on the spring-loaded lever.

9. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a force sensor mat operatively connected to the split-belt treadmill for sensing the location of an individual in contact with the first belt and the second belt.

10. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 1 , wherein the stiffness of the first belt and the second belt ranges from about infinite stiffness to about 62 N/m.

11. The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 1 , wherein the maximum resolution of the stiffness is about 0.038 N/m.

12. A method of using a variable stiffness treadmill system comprising:
placing an individual on the variable stiffness treadmill system comprising:
an elevated split-belt treadmill comprising of a first belt and a second belt;
a motor operatively connected to the split-belt treadmill for driving the first and second belts of the split-belt treadmill;
a variable stiffness mechanism operatively connected to the split-belt treadmill for varying the vertical stiffness of the first belt and the second belt, the variable stiffness mechanism comprising:
a linear track; and
a spring-loaded lever operatively connected to the linear track;

a counterweight system operatively connected to the split-belt treadmill to counter balance the weight of an individual on the split-belt treadmill; and
a body-weight support mounted to a post, the body weight support capable of supporting the weight of the individual relative to the post, wherein the spring-loaded lever is adjustable to vary the stiffness of the elevated split-belt treadmill;

attaching a body-weight support to the individual;
mounting the body-weight support to a frame positioned above the split-belt treadmill;
measuring the location of the individual with a force sensor mat positioned adjacent the first belt and the second belt; and
adjusting the vertical stiffness of the first belt and/or second belt below the location of the individual with the variable stiffness mechanism.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the stiffness of the split-belt treadmill is regulated in real time.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the stiffness of the split-belt treadmill is adjusted by a spring-loaded lever in the variable stiffness mechanism.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
measuring the weight of an individual supported by the support with at least one loadcell on the body weight support.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
counter balancing the split-belt treadmill with the counterweight system.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the height of the support relative to the split-belt treadmill is adjusted to vary the amount of weight of the individual being supported by the body-weight support.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
measuring the inclination of the split-belt treadmill with an inclinometer operatively connected to the split-belt treadmill.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the stiffness of the first belt and the second belt is adjusted independently.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the variable stiffness mechanism provides for selecting degree of stiffness imparted to the split-beam treadmill throughout a gait cycle of the individual and for continuous controlling of the stiffness during a stance phase of the individual.

Assignees

• Univ Arizona State

Inventors

• Artemiadis Panagiotis
• Barkan Andrew

Classifications

• A61B5/6892

  Mats · CPC title

• A63B2220/52

  Weight, e.g. weight distribution · CPC title

• A63B2024/0093

  the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed · CPC title

• A63B22/0235

  driven by a motor · CPC title

• A63B2220/18

  Inclination, slope or curvature · CPC title