# US 2026/0090761 A1 · Wearable measuring device, assistance system comprising a wearable measuring device, method for ascertaining a muscle hardness of a skeletal muscle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0090761 A1 - Document ID: US20260090761A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/880,032 - Filed: 2024-07-04 - Published: 2026-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-27 - Assignees: J.Schmalz GmbH - Applicants: J.Schmalz GmbH - Inventors: Raphael SINGER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260090761A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/4519: {Muscles (measuring muscular strength A61B5/224; using electromyography [EMG] A61B5/389)} - A61B 5/224: {Measuring muscular strength} - A61B 5/6802: {Sensor mounted on worn items} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A wearable measuring device comprising a measuring apparatus that comprises at least two measuring units for monitoring a skeletal muscle of a person (or animal, etc.), and comprising a holding apparatus for attaching the measuring apparatus to a body part of the person having the skeletal muscle. It is provided that the measuring units each comprise a force sensor and an associated spring unit, the spring units differing from one another in their spring constant, that the measuring units can be attached to the body part in such a way that the spring units can be tensioned by a particular different section of the skeletal muscle, and that the force sensors are designed to detect a tensioning force of the associated spring unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wearable measuring device comprising a measuring apparatus that comprises at least two measuring units for monitoring a skeletal muscle of a user or a patient, and comprising a holding apparatus for attaching the measuring apparatus to a body part of the user or the patient having the skeletal muscle, wherein the measuring units each comprise a force sensor and an associated spring unit, the spring units differing from one another in their spring constant, the measuring units can be attached to the body part in such a way that the spring units can be tensioned by a particular different portion of the skeletal muscle, and each force sensor is designed to detect a tensioning force of the correspondingly associated spring unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising: an evaluation unit configured to ascertain a spring constant of the skeletal muscle as a function of sensor signals from the force sensors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to any of claim 1, wherein at least one of the spring units comprises a metal spring or an elastomer spring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the spring units is cylindrical, spiral-shaped, plate-shaped, bar-shaped, band-shaped or strand-shaped. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the spring units comprises a gas-pressure spring. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the force sensors comprises at least one force-dependent electrical resistor, at least one force-dependent electrical capacitor, at least one force-dependent electrical inductor or at least one piezoelectric element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the spring units have a first end portion and a second end portion, the associated force sensor being operatively connected to the spring unit through the first end portion, and the spring unit being operatively connectable or operatively connected to the skeletal muscle through the second end portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the spring units have a first end portion and a second end portion, the associated force sensor being operatively connected to the spring unit through the first end portion, and the spring unit being operatively connectable or operatively connected to the skeletal muscle through the force sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring apparatus comprises at least three measuring units. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the holding apparatus comprises a holding strap, a holding cuff or a holding bandage. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the holding device comprises a support structure or a rigid support structure, and the measuring units being arranged on the support structure or said rigid support structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the spring units extend radially in relation to the body part when the measuring device is arranged as intended. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The wearable measuring device according to any of claim 1, wherein the spring units extend in the circumferential direction of the body part along the skeletal muscle when the measuring device is arranged as intended. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An assistance system comprising a wearable exoskeleton having at least one controllable actuator, said wearable measuring device according to claim 1, and a control device that is designed to control the actuator as a function of information that can be provided by the wearable measuring device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method for determining a muscle hardness of said skeletal muscle of said user or said patient, by means of said wearable measuring device according to claim 1, at least two spring units that differ from each other in their spring constant, being attached to a body part of the user or the patient having the skeletal muscle in such a way that the spring units can in each case be tensioned by a different portion of the skeletal muscle, tensioning forces of the spring units being detected, and a spring constant of the skeletal muscle being ascertained as muscle hardness as a function of the detected tensioning forces.