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US 2016/0243397 A1Published application
Variable stiffness treadmill system
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University
InventorsPanagiotis Artemiadis, Andrew Barkan
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims20
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.
6 more elements
The variable stiffness treadmill system of claim 7, wherein the stiffness of the first belt and the second belt may be adjusted independently.
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.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.