Self-powered gait monitoring sole equipment and gait monitoring method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides self-powered gait monitoring sole equipment and a gait monitoring method, and belongs to the technical field of wearable medical equipment. In order to solve the problems that existing monitoring equipment is large in size or inconvenient in power supply and storage and the like, plantar equipment comprises an insole body, the insole body comprises an insole layer and an interlayer, the interlayer is arranged at the bottom of the insole layer, and a signal transmitter, a pressure sensor and a position sensor are arranged on the insole layer. The interlayer is provided with a hard rubber isolation pad, a movement energy conversion part, an energy storage part, a position sensor and a wire, the movement energy conversion part is located at the middle and rear sole part in the interlayer, the energy storage part is connected with the movement energy conversion part, and the two ends of the wire connect the pressure sensor and the position sensor to a signal transmitter through the energy storage part respectively; mechanical energy generated in the foot landing and lifting process of a user is converted into electric energy, and the electric energy is stored in the capacitor after being subjected to rectification and voltage stabilization and used for continuous power supply of plantar equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of wearable medical equipment, and in particular to a self-powered gait monitoring plantar device and a gait monitoring method. Background Art

[0002] Arthritis is a common chronic disease, and its high incidence and high disability rate have caused serious impacts on society and individual health. With the continuous deepening of the aging of the population, the number of people suffering from arthritis is still increasing. In particular, more than half of the people over 50 years old suffer from osteoarthritis, and among the people over 65 years old, 90% of women and 80% of men suffer from osteoarthritis. In arthritis, the knee joint is the most common and most susceptible part, with an incidence rate of up to 85%. Moreover, the course of knee arthritis is often difficult and prone to recurrence, posing a serious threat to the patient's quality of life and physical health. Therefore, early prevention, early diagnosis and early treatment of knee arthritis are crucial to stop the progression of the disease.

[0003] Smart wearable devices play a vital role in the treatment and prevention of knee arthritis. These devices provide real-time feedback and guidance by monitoring the user's movement, posture and health data, helping patients better manage and monitor the health of their knee joints. With the advancement of technology, smart wearable devices have evolved from a single communication and information display function to a multifunctional device that can monitor a variety of human signs, aiming to help users monitor and manage their own health.

[0004] However, the smart wearable devices currently on the market still have many limitations in terms of joint health monitoring. The devices are usually large in size, inconvenient to use, or the monitoring data is not accurate. For example, the human motion comprehensive capture analyzer requires patients to go to a designated hospital for foot scanning and gait diagnosis. The detection process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and it cannot achieve the effect of real-time tracking and recording of the patient's gait. In addition, in order to obtain user foot data, most biotherapy devices for foot wear contain batteries and other components and need to be charged at any time. However, due to the limited space on the sole of the foot, in order to ensure user comfort and maximize the use of the sole of the foot while minimizing the charging frequency, it is necessary to reduce the size of the device as much as possible, consider lightweight design, and at the same time have the ability to store electricity efficiently, which puts higher requirements on the development of the equipment. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of the limitations of the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention innovatively proposes a self-powered gait monitoring plantar device and gait monitoring method, aiming to improve the convenience and accuracy of joint health monitoring and provide users with better health management services. By wearing the device, users can independently monitor their gait and plantar pressure distribution in real time, and timely understand their joint health status, so as to take corresponding preventive and treatment measures to improve their quality of life and health level. At the same time, the mechanical energy generated during walking is continuously converted into electrical energy, which stores electrical energy for the entire device in real time, avoiding the inconvenience of charging when using traditional devices.

[0006] In order to achieve the above technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: A self-powered gait monitoring sole device comprises an insole body, which comprises an insole layer and an interlayer, wherein the interlayer is arranged at the bottom of the insole layer, and the insole layer is provided with: The insole layer is provided with a signal transmitter, a pressure sensor and a position sensor, the signal transmitter is located at the front end of the insole layer, and the pressure sensor and the position sensor are both provided on the insole layer and connected to the signal transmitter through a wire; A hard rubber spacer, a motion energy conversion component and an energy storage component are arranged on the partition. The hard rubber spacer is located at the forefoot in the partition, the motion energy conversion component is located at the middle and rear soles in the partition, the energy storage component is connected to the motion energy conversion component, and the energy storage component is respectively connected to the position sensor and the pressure sensor through wires.

[0007] As a further preferred solution of the above technical solution: the motion energy conversion component includes a motion rectification unit and an energy conversion unit, the motion rectification unit is embedded in the partition, and the motion rectification unit and the energy conversion unit are connected through a connecting shaft.

[0008] As a further preferred embodiment of the above technical solution: the motion rectification unit includes a supporting airbag, a hard air tube and a motion converter. The supporting airbag is located at the heel area in the partition. One end of the hard air tube is fixedly connected to the supporting airbag, and the other end thereof is movably connected to the motion converter.

[0009] Based on the above technical solution, further, the interior of the support airbag is formed into a deformable cavity by a plurality of rubber support columns, and each rubber support column is an hourglass-shaped hollow column structure.

[0010] Based on the above technical solution, further, the motion converter includes a plurality of blades, a first mounting seat and a second mounting seat, the plurality of blades are fixedly connected between the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat, the first mounting seat is rotatably connected to the hard air pipe, and the second mounting seat is fixedly connected to the connecting shaft.

[0011] As a further preferred embodiment of the above technical solution: the energy conversion unit includes an outer protective shell, a rotor and a stator. The outer protective shell is movably connected to the connecting shaft. The rotor is connected to the connecting shaft through a key and rotates axially with the connecting shaft. The stator is fixedly installed in the outer protective shell.

[0012] As a further preferred solution of the above technical solution: the energy storage component includes a rectifier and voltage regulator chip and a capacitor. The rectifier and voltage regulator chip converts the alternating current generated by the energy conversion unit into direct current, and the capacitor is used to store the direct current generated by the energy conversion unit.

[0013] On the other hand, the present invention also discloses a gait monitoring method of a self-powered gait monitoring sole device, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Make an insole body according to user needs, and put the insole body into the user's shoes for wearing; Step 2: When the user walks, the gait data formed by the monitored sole pressure and the positioning data formed by the real-time positioning are transmitted to the information processing center through the signal transmitter. In the process of landing and lifting the foot, the support airbag is squeezed and rebounded to generate a linear motion airflow, which is transported to the motion converter through the hard air tube. The motion transducer drives the rotor to rotate through the connecting shaft, and uses the rotor and stator to form electrical energy, which is stored in the capacitor. This electrical energy is used to power the pressure sensor, signal transmitter and position sensor. Step 3: The information processing center stores and analyzes the received gait data and positioning data, and sends the analysis results to the user terminal.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects produced by the present invention are as follows: 1. The present invention uses the daily walking state of the human body to power the sensors (pressure sensors, position sensors and signal transmitters) inside the sole equipment, so as to realize real-time monitoring of the user's gait and position. In the daily walking state, the user lifts and presses the heel, and uses the airbag properties to squeeze the gas in the inner cavity of the supporting airbag, thereby driving the motion converter to convert the low-frequency and small-amplitude linear motion of the sole during walking into the high-speed rotational motion of the rotor, realizing the self-supply of energy for the sole during exercise. Compared with most current gait monitoring sole devices, the present invention effectively solves the problem that most current gait detection sole devices are large in size and need to be frequently charged or replaced with batteries, eliminating the inconvenience of charging or replacing batteries.

[0015] 2. The motion rectifier unit of the present invention includes a supporting airbag, a hard air tube and a motion converter. The supporting airbag is supported by multiple internal "hourglass-shaped" rubber support columns to form a deformable cavity. When the user puts his foot down and lifts his foot, the supporting airbag is squeezed and rebounded to generate a linear motion airflow, which is transported to the motion converter through the hard air tube. The motion converter converts the low-frequency, small-amplitude linear motion of the sole of the foot into a high-speed rotational motion in the energy conversion unit, thereby changing the direction of the airflow.

[0016] 3. The energy conversion unit of the present invention includes an outer protective shell, a rotor and a stator. The rotor is connected to the connecting shaft through a key. As the connecting shaft rotates axially in sync, the rotor and the stator move relative to each other, and the rotational motion is converted into electrical energy through electromagnetic induction.

[0017] 4. The present invention supports personalized customization and is suitable for any type of sports and leisure shoes. It adopts a design of multiple airbag units to make the sole device more flexible, improve the user's comfort and experience, and can adapt to the sole shape and gait characteristics of different users. Compared with traditional gait monitoring and positioning sole devices, it is more lightweight and portable. The sole device is based on the insole and can monitor the user's gait and locate its position in real time, thereby reducing the probability of joint diseases from the root and improving the patient's quality of life. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below.

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall unfolded structure of a self-powered gait monitoring plantar device of the present invention; Figure 2 It is a detailed structural schematic diagram of the unfolding mode of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the folded mode of the present invention (excluding the insole layer and the hard rubber spacer); Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the insole layer of the present invention; Figure 5 A diagram showing the connection relationship between the motion energy conversion component and the energy storage component of the present invention; Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the support airbag structure of the present invention; Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of the motion rectifier unit and the connecting shaft of the present invention; Figure 8 It is a schematic structural diagram of the energy conversion unit of the present invention; Fig. 9 A circuit diagram of the energy storage component of the present invention; In the figure: 1, insole layer; 1-1, signal transmitter; 1-2, pressure sensor; 1-3, position sensor; 2, partition; 2-1, hard rubber partition; 2-2, motion rectifier unit; 2-2-1, support airbag; 2-2-2, hard air tube; 2-2-3, motion converter; 2-3, connecting shaft; 2-4, energy conversion unit; 2-4-1, outer protective shell; 2-4-2, rotor; 2-4-3, stator; 2-5, energy storage component; 2-6, wire. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Example

[0021] Reference Figure 1-9 The present invention provides a self-powered gait monitoring sole device, including an insole body, which includes an insole layer 1 and an interlayer 2, the interlayer 2 is arranged at the bottom of the insole layer 1, and a signal transmitter 1-1, a pressure sensor 1-2 and a position sensor 1-3 are arranged on the insole layer 1, and the pressure sensor 1-2 and the position sensor 1-3 are respectively connected to the signal transmitter 1-1 through a wire 2-6, wherein: the pressure sensor 1-2 is used to generate gait data from the sole pressure of the user during use and transmit it to the signal transmitter 1-1 through the wire 2-6, the position sensor 1-3 is used to collect the user's position information and transmit it to the signal transmitter 1-1 through the wire 2-6, and the signal transmitter 1-1 receives the gait data. The state data is sent to the information processing center (such as a computer); the interior of the interlayer 2 is provided with a hard rubber spacer 2-1, a motion energy conversion component, an energy storage component 2-5 and a wire 2-6. The hard rubber spacer 2-1 is fixed to the forefoot part of the interlayer 2, accounting for 50% of the entire sole, and is used to protect the micro-components on the sole. The motion energy conversion component is located in the middle and rear sole part of the interlayer 2, and converts the mechanical energy generated by the user's foot movement into electrical energy. The energy storage component 2-5 is connected to the motion energy conversion component to rectify, stabilize and store the converted electrical energy. One end of the wire 2-6 is connected to the position sensor 1-3 and the pressure sensor 1-2 respectively through the energy storage component 2-5, and the other end is connected to the signal transmitter 1-1.

[0022] Specifically, the size of the signal transmitter 1-1 is 2 cm × 2 cm × 0.3 cm. The signal transmitter 1-1 is fixed at the middle position of the toe of the insole layer 1. It is connected to the pressure sensor 1-2 and the position sensor 1-3 respectively through the wire 2-6. The signal transmitter 1-1 sends the gait information generated by the pressure sensor 1-2 and the user position data generated by the position sensor 1-3 to the information processing center through wireless communication for further processing. The information processing center stores and analyzes the gait information and positioning information transmitted by the signal transmitter 1-1, and generates a detection report and real-time positioning record for joint health treatment and prevention.

[0023] Reference Figure 4 The pressure sensors 1-2 are evenly laid and embedded in the insole layer 1, which include a plurality of pressure sensing units for forming gait data. The size of the pressure sensors 1-2 is customized according to the size of the user's foot so that it fits the main stress points of the user's sole. It is preferred to use an elastic force sensitive sensor (FSR) made of a conductive polymer or elastic material. The material is thin, soft and flexible, and is suitable for being embedded in the insole layer 1 to adapt to the curve and movement of the sole. The size and distribution of the pressure are detected by measuring the resistance value, thereby realizing the real-time gait monitoring function of the user.

[0024] like Figure 3 , Figure 5 As shown, the motion energy conversion component includes a motion rectification unit 2-2 and an energy conversion unit 2-4. The motion rectification unit 2-2 is embedded in the interlayer 2, and the motion rectification unit 2-2 and the energy conversion unit 2-4 are connected by a connecting shaft 2-3. The connecting shaft 2-3 is made of stainless steel and has good motion stability and corrosion resistance. Specifically, the motion rectifier unit 2-2 includes a support airbag 2-2-1, a hard air tube 2-2-2 and a motion converter 2-2-3. The support airbag 2-2-1 is located at the heel part in the partition 2. The interior of the support airbag 2-2-1 is formed by a plurality of rubber support columns to form a deformable cavity, and each rubber support column is an hourglass-shaped (thick at both ends and thin in the middle) hollow column structure (such as Figure 6), the diameters of both ends of the rubber support are 0.5 cm, and the middle diameter is 0.25 cm. The support airbag 2-2-1 is made of elastic rubber with good elastic deformation ability and pressure sensing performance. It is easy to squeeze and rebound to the previous unstressed state. It can accurately sense the user's gait pressure changes to generate airflow. The support airbag 2-2-1 is provided with a circular air hole near the toe tip for transmitting the airflow to the hard air tube 2-2-2; when the user walks, the support airbag 2-2-1 is deformed during the user's foot landing and foot lifting process, and a linear motion airflow is generated during the squeezing and rebounding process. One side of the hard air tube 2-2-2 One end is fixedly connected to the supporting airbag 2-2-1, and the other end is movably connected to the motion converter 2-2-3. The diameter of the hard air pipe 2-2-2 is 0.3 cm. It is made of metal material and is used to transport the linear motion airflow into the motion converter 2-2-3. It has high strength and rigidity and good pressure resistance and wear resistance. It can maintain a stable shape under high pressure and is not easy to deform or break. One end of the hard air pipe 2-2-2 is seamlessly connected to the circular air hole in the supporting airbag 2-2-1. The motion converter 2-2-3 converts the original low-frequency and small-amplitude linear motion airflow into high-speed rotational motion, changing the direction of the airflow. In this embodiment, the motion converter 2-2-3 includes 28 blades, a first mounting seat and a second mounting seat. The blades are made of glass fiber reinforced plastic and look like willow leaves. Each blade is fixedly connected between the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat. A 0.2 cm gap is left between the blades to form an air hole. The first mounting seat is rotatably connected to the hard air pipe 2-2-2 through a bearing, and the second mounting seat is fixedly connected to the connecting shaft 2-3. The linear motion airflow passes through the hard air pipe 2-2-2 and enters the cavity formed by the 28 blades, converting the original low-frequency and small-amplitude linear motion into high-speed rotational motion, thereby generating current inside the energy conversion unit 2-4.

[0025] like Figure 5 , Figure 8 As shown, the energy conversion unit 2-4 includes an outer protective shell 2-4-1, a rotor 2-4-2 and a stator 2-4-3. The outer protective shell 2-4-1 is made of stainless steel and has a diameter of 2 cm. The outer protective shell 2-4-1 is movably connected to the connecting shaft 2-3 through a bearing, and the rotor 2-4-2 is connected to the connecting shaft 2-3 through a key, and as the connecting shaft 2-3 rotates axially, the stator 2-4-3 is fixedly installed in the outer protective shell 2-4-1, and the connecting shaft 2-3 is driven by the motion converter 2-2-3 to form a rotational motion, and the kinetic energy of the rotation is converted into electrical energy through electromagnetic induction, so as to power the signal transmitter 1-1, the pressure sensor 1-2 and the position sensor 1-3; Specifically, the rotor 2-4-2 includes a magnet and a magnet disk, the magnet includes 5 magnet pieces, and the 5 magnet pieces are evenly embedded in the magnet disk around the direction of its rotation axis. The stator 2-4-3 includes a coil and a coil disk, the coil includes 5 sub-rings, and the 5 sub-rings are evenly embedded in the coil disk around the direction of its rotation axis. When the connecting shaft 2-3 drives the rotor 2-4-2 to rotate, the magnet on the rotor 2-4-2 moves relative to the coil on the stator 2-4-3, and converts kinetic energy into electrical energy by cutting the magnetic lines of force, and stores it in the energy storage component.

[0026] Furthermore, the energy storage component 2-5 has the functions of rectification, voltage regulation and electrical energy storage, and includes a rectification and voltage regulation chip and a capacitor. The specific model of the rectification and voltage regulation chip is LTC3526. The rectification and voltage regulation chip converts the alternating current generated by the energy conversion unit 2-4 into direct current. The capacitor is used to store the direct current generated by the energy conversion unit and to power the signal transmitter 1-1, the pressure sensor 1-2 and the position sensor 1-3. During the entire walking process, the user continuously converts mechanical energy into electrical energy through the motion energy conversion component and stores it in the capacitor for use by the load; wherein the signal transmitter 1-1 transmits data to the information processing center at intervals, the information processing center stores and analyzes the received data, and sends the analysis results to the user terminal. Embodiment 2:

[0027] A gait monitoring method of a self-powered gait monitoring sole device is as follows:

[0028] The insole body is manufactured according to the user's needs, and the insole body is placed in the user's shoes for wearing; When the user wears the foot device and walks, the pressure sensor 1-2 and the position sensor 1-3 generate real-time plantar pressure signals, gait data and positioning data when the user's foot contacts the insole layer. The above information and data are transmitted to the signal transmitter 1-1 and then transmitted to the information processing center by the signal transmitter 1-1. When the user walks, the support airbag 2-2-1 is squeezed and rebounded during the process of landing and lifting the foot to generate a linear motion airflow, which is transported to the motion converter 2-2-3 through the hard air tube 2-2-2. The motion transducer 2-2-3 drives the rotor 2-4-2 to rotate through the connecting shaft 2-3. The magnet on the rotor 2-4-2 moves relative to the coil on the stator 2-4-3, and the kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by cutting the magnetic flux lines. The electrical energy is rectified and stabilized by the rectifier and voltage regulator chip and stored in the capacitor. This electrical energy provides continuous power for the signal transmitter 1-1, the pressure sensor 1-2 and the position sensor 1-3. The information processing center stores and analyzes the received gait data and positioning data, which include the user's gait information, plantar pressure distribution and other related parameters as well as the user's real-time position light. The information processing center processes the received data and information and sends the analysis results to the user terminal.

[0029] The detailed description of the above embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the invention. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, it is only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention rather than to limit it. Other modifications or equivalent substitutions made by ordinary technicians in the field to the technical solution of the present invention, as long as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of the present invention, should be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-powered gait monitoring sole device, comprising an insole body, which comprises an insole layer (1) and an interlayer (2), wherein the interlayer (2) is arranged at the bottom of the insole layer (1), characterized in that: A signal transmitter (1-1), a pressure sensor (1-2) and a position sensor (1-3) are arranged on the insole layer (1); the signal transmitter (1-1) is located at the front end of the insole layer (1); the pressure sensor (1-2) and the position sensor (1-3) are both arranged on the insole layer (1) and connected to the signal transmitter (1-1) via a wire (2-6); A hard rubber spacer (2-1), a motion energy conversion component and an energy storage component (2-5) are arranged on the interlayer (2); the hard rubber spacer (2-1) is located at the forefoot in the interlayer (2); the motion energy conversion component is located at the middle and rear soles in the interlayer (2); the energy storage component (2-5) is connected to the motion energy conversion component, and the energy storage component (2-5) is respectively connected to the position sensor (1-3) and the pressure sensor (1-2) via a wire (2-6).

2. The self-powered gait monitoring foot device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The motion energy conversion component comprises a motion rectification unit (2-2) and an energy conversion unit (2-4); the motion rectification unit (2-2) is embedded in the partition (2), and the motion rectification unit (2-2) and the energy conversion unit (2-4) are connected via a connecting shaft (2-3).

3. The self-powered gait monitoring foot device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The motion rectification unit (2-2) comprises a supporting airbag (2-2-1), a hard air tube (2-2-2) and a motion converter (2-2-3); the supporting airbag (2-2-1) is located at the rear heel portion within the interlayer (2); one end of the hard air tube (2-2-2) is fixedly connected to the supporting airbag (2-2-1), and the other end thereof is movably connected to the motion converter (2-2-3).

4. The self-powered gait monitoring foot device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The interior of the support airbag (2-2-1) is formed with a deformable cavity by a plurality of rubber support columns, and each rubber support column is an hourglass-shaped hollow column structure.

5. The self-powered gait monitoring foot device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The motion converter (2-2-3) comprises a plurality of blades, a first mounting seat and a second mounting seat, the plurality of blades are fixedly connected between the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat, the first mounting seat is rotationally connected to the hard air pipe (2-2-2), and the second mounting seat is fixedly connected to the connecting shaft (2-3).

6. The self-powered gait monitoring foot device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The energy conversion unit (2-4) comprises an outer protective shell (2-4-1), a rotor (2-4-2) and a stator (2-4-3); the outer protective shell (2-4-1) is movably connected to a connecting shaft (2-3); the rotor (2-4-2) is connected to the connecting shaft (2-3) via a key and rotates axially along with the connecting shaft (2-3); and the stator (2-4-3) is fixedly mounted in the outer protective shell (2-4-1).

7. The self-powered gait monitoring foot device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The energy storage component (2-5) comprises a rectifier and voltage regulator chip and a capacitor. The rectifier and voltage regulator chip converts the alternating current generated by the energy conversion unit (2-4) into direct current, and the capacitor is used to store the direct current generated by the energy conversion unit (2-4).

8. A gait monitoring method of a self-powered gait monitoring sole device, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step 1: Make an insole body according to user needs, and put the insole body into the user's shoes for wearing; Step 2: When the user walks, the gait data formed by the monitored sole pressure and the position data formed by real-time positioning are transmitted to the information processing center through the signal transmitter, and when the user puts down and lifts his foot, the support airbag (2-2-1) is squeezed and rebounded to generate a linear motion airflow, which is transported to the motion converter (2-2-3) through the hard air tube (2-2-2). The motion transducer (2-2-3) drives the rotor (2-4-2) to rotate through the connecting shaft (2-3), and the rotor (2-4-2) cooperates with the stator (2-4-3) to form electrical energy, which is stored in the capacitor. This electrical energy is used to power the signal transmitter (1-1), the pressure sensor (1-2) and the position sensor (1-3); Step 3: The information processing center stores and analyzes the received gait data and positioning data, and sends the analysis results to the user terminal.

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