Canine gait analyzer

A canine gait analyzer, for use in connection with a treadmill having a frame, the frame having opposite left and right sides, a bed mounted on the frame, the bed extending between a forward end and a rear end, the bed having a top surface, front and rear rollers mounted on the frame, a belt mounted on the rollers, a motor driving one of the rollers, the belt having inner and outer surfaces, and a guardrail mounted on the frame, the canine gait analyzer comprising:

• plurality of sensor panels, the sensor panels each having a portion of flexible material extending between opposite front and rear ends, and between opposite left and right edges, the sensor panels each having a pressure transducer array received on the flexible material, the transducer array having a plurality of pressure transducers arranged in an orthogonal matrix, each one of the plurality of sensor panels having at least one circuit board adjacent one of the left and right edges, the circuit board including electronic components, each sensor panel having conductive traces connecting the pressure transducers electrically to the circuit boards;
• a sensor assembly including the plurality of sensor panels adapted to be disposed in overlapping sequence from adjacent the bed forward end to adjacent the bed rear end, an antifriction membrane stacked above the sensor panels, and an elastomer sheet stacked adjacent the sensor panels, the sensor assembly having a front end, the sensor assembly being adapted for installation between the belt inner surface and the bed, the sensor assembly being adapted to lie generally flat upon the bed top surface, with the one of the left and right sensor panel edges having the circuit boards extending outward and downward on the respective side of the frame;
• a J bracket having an upper flange and a lower flange connected by a web, the upper flange having opposite top and bottom surfaces, the J bracket being adapted to extend across the bed forward end with the upper flange above the bed and the lower flange below the bed and the web adjacent the bed forward end and the belt passing over the upper flange top surface, the sensor assembly being attached to the upper flange bottom surface, so that the J bracket will hold the sensor assembly disposed on the bed with the sensor assembly front end adjacent the bed forward end, wherein the belt will pass over the sensor assembly without moving the sensor assembly with respect to the bed;
• and
• a side cover having an upper flange and a lower flange connected by a web, the side cover being generally C-shaped in cross-section, the side cover extending between opposite front and rear ends, the side cover being adapted to be attached to one of the frame left and right sides, the side cover being adapted to cover the one of the left and right sensor panel edges having the circuit boards, so as to support and protect the sensor panel edges and the circuit boards, the side cover including two end plates, the side cover and end plates being adapted to contain RF radiation when used in connection with the treadmill.

A canine gait analyzer, for use in connection with a treadmill having a frame, the frame having opposite left and right sides, a bed mounted on the frame, the bed extending between a forward end and a rear end, the bed having a top surface, front and rear rollers mounted on the frame, a belt mounted on the rollers, a motor driving one of the rollers, the belt having inner and outer surfaces, and a guardrail mounted on the frame, the canine gait analyzer comprising:

• plurality of sensor panels, the sensor panels each having a portion of flexible material extending between opposite front and rear ends, and between opposite left and right edges, the sensor panels each having a pressure transducer array received on the flexible material, the transducer array having a plurality of pressure transducers arranged in an orthogonal matrix, each one of the plurality of sensor panels having at least one circuit board adjacent one of the left and right edges, each circuit board including electronic components, each sensor panel having conductive traces connecting the pressure transducers electrically to the circuit boards;
• a sensor assembly including the plurality of sensor panels adapted to be disposed in overlapping sequence from adjacent the bed forward end to adjacent the bed rear end, an antifriction membrane stacked above the sensor panels, and an elastomer sheet stacked adjacent the sensor panels, the elastomer sheet having carbon-graphite compounded therein so as to render the elastomer sheet conductive, the elastomer sheet adapted for being electrically grounded, the sensor assembly having a front end, the sensor assembly being adapted for installation between the belt inner surface and the bed, the sensor assembly being adapted to lie generally flat upon the bed top surface, with the one of the left and right sensor panel edges having the circuit boards extending outward and downward on the respective side of the frame;
• attaching means for attaching the antifriction membrane and the elastomer sheet to the sensor panels;
• a J bracket having an upper flange and a lower flange connected by a web, the upper flange having opposite top and bottom surfaces, the J bracket being adapted to extend across the bed forward end with the upper flange above the bed and the lower flange below the bed and the web adjacent the bed forward end and the belt passing over the upper flange top surface, the sensor assembly being attached to the upper flange bottom surface, so that the J bracket will hold the sensor assembly disposed on the bed with the sensor assembly front end adjacent the bed forward end, wherein the belt will pass over the sensor assembly without moving the sensor assembly with respect to the bed;
• a side cover having an upper flange and a lower flange connected by a web, the side cover being generally C-shaped in cross-section, the side cover extending between opposite front and rear ends, the side cover being adapted to be attached to one of the frame left and right sides, the side cover being adapted to cover the one of the left and right sensor panel edges having the circuit boards, so as to support and protect the sensor panel edges and the circuit boards, the side cover including two end plates, the side cover and end plates being adapted to contain RF radiation when used in connection with the treadmill;
• a computer adapted to be connected to the circuit boards;
• and
• a motor speed controller adapted to be connected to the motor and to the computer,
• so that upon assembling the canine gait analyzer to the treadmill, the sensor assembly will be transversely slidingly installed between the belt inner surface and the bed, the J bracket will engage the bed forward end, the sensor assembly will lie generally flat upon the bed top surface, the elastomer sheet will be electrically grounded, the computer will be connected to the circuit boards, and the motor speed controller will be connected to the motor and to the computer.