Sitting posture monitoring cushion and sitting posture monitoring seat

Abstract

The invention discloses a sitting posture monitoring cushion and a sitting posture monitoring seat. The sitting posture monitoring cushion comprises a carrier layer, a plurality of pressure sensors and a supporting layer; the carrier layer comprises a structure supporting plate, and the structure supporting plate is provided with a plurality of mounting holes; the supporting layer is arranged above the carrier layer, the supporting layer comprises a plurality of supporting sub-blocks which are symmetrically distributed in the left-right direction of the sitting posture monitoring cushion, and each supporting sub-block is connected with at least one pressure sensor; the pressure sensor comprises an elastic component, a strain gauge and a fixing component. The elastic part is connected to the hole wall of the mounting hole, and first gaps are formed between the two opposite sides, in the left-right direction of the sitting posture monitoring cushion, of the elastic part and the hole wall of the mounting hole; the strain gauge is arranged on the elastic component; according to the technical scheme, misjudgment of the left-right movement posture of the human body can be reduced, and the difference of test data of the movement posture in the front-back direction can be amplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of seat cushion technology, and in particular to a posture monitoring seat cushion and a posture monitoring chair using the posture monitoring seat cushion. Background Technology

[0002] In today's work, study, and daily life settings, chairs are items that people spend a lot of time with. Incorrect posture can lead to excessive strain on the spine, causing muscle soreness, impaired blood circulation, nerve numbness, and even skeletal structural diseases. Therefore, the necessity of timely monitoring and reminding people to correct their posture is self-evident.

[0003] Currently, some posture monitoring cushion designs incorporate multiple force-bearing components at the top and fixed components at the bottom. These fixed components are equipped with multiple sensors corresponding to the force-bearing components to monitor changes in force. However, during use, the force-bearing components are not only subjected to the user's forces but may also be subject to additional bending moments in different directions. The impact of these additional bending moments on sensor accuracy varies, potentially leading to significant errors in posture recognition test results. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a posture monitoring cushion and a posture monitoring chair, which can reduce misjudgments of the human body's left and right movement postures and amplify the differences in test data of movement postures in the front and back directions.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a posture monitoring cushion, including a carrier layer, multiple pressure sensors, and a support layer; the carrier layer includes a structural support plate with multiple mounting holes; the support layer is disposed above the carrier layer and includes multiple support blocks symmetrically distributed along the left-right direction of the posture monitoring cushion, and each support block is connected to at least one pressure sensor; wherein, the pressure sensor includes an elastic component, a strain gauge, and a fixing component.

[0006] The elastic component is connected to the wall of the mounting hole, and the elastic component forms a first gap with the wall of the mounting hole on both sides of the left and right sides of the sitting posture monitoring cushion; the strain gauge is installed on the elastic component; the bottom of the fixed component is connected to the elastic component, and the top is fixedly connected to the corresponding support block.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the pressure sensors on the two support blocks that are symmetrically distributed along the left and right directions of the posture monitoring cushion are also symmetrically distributed along the left and right directions of the posture monitoring cushion.

[0008] In this implementation, the symmetry of the test data in the left and right directions of the seat cushion can be maintained, reducing misjudgments of the human body's left and right movement posture.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the elastic component includes a connecting part, two legs, and a loading part. The two legs and the loading part are connected to the connecting part on the same side in the front-back direction of the posture monitoring seat cushion, and the two legs are spaced apart in the left-right direction and connected to the wall of the mounting hole on one side in the front-back direction. The loading part is located between the two legs.

[0010] The connecting part and the support leg form a first gap between their outer contours in the left-right direction and the wall of the mounting hole, and the connecting part forms a second gap between its outer contours in the front-back direction and the wall of the mounting hole. The strain gauge is mounted on the support leg, and the fixing component is connected to the loading part.

[0011] In this implementation, the elastic component is more likely to deform in the front-back direction, thereby enabling the strain gauge to have higher sensitivity in the front-back direction and improving the accuracy of the algorithm for posture recognition.

[0012] In one possible implementation, each support block is connected to a pressure sensor, which includes four strain gauges forming a full-bridge circuit. Two strain gauges are mounted on one leg, and the two strain gauges are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the support blocks are each connected to at least one pair of pressure sensors. Each pressure sensor includes two strain gauges, and the two strain gauges in each pressure sensor are respectively mounted on one leg. The four strain gauges in a pair of pressure sensors constitute a full-bridge circuit.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the two pressure sensors in each pair are symmetrically arranged in the left-right direction in their corresponding support blocks, and the legs of each pressure sensor are connected to the same side of the mounting hole in the front-back direction.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the elastic component is fixed to the wall of the mounting hole at both ends in the front-rear direction of the posture monitoring cushion, and forms a first gap between the two sides in the left-right direction and the wall of the mounting hole.

[0016] The fixed component is connected to the middle of the elastic component, and the strain gauge is installed on the elastic component.

[0017] In this implementation, the elastic component is more likely to deform in the front-to-back direction, thereby enabling the strain gauge to have higher sensitivity in the front-to-back direction.

[0018] In one possible implementation, each support block is connected to a pressure sensor, which includes four strain gauges forming a full-bridge circuit, with each pair of strain gauges positioned on opposite sides of the fixed component in the front-back direction of the posture monitoring cushion.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the support blocks are each connected to at least one pair of pressure sensors. Each pressure sensor includes two strain gauges, and the two strain gauges in each pressure sensor are arranged on opposite sides of the fixed component in the front-back direction of the posture monitoring cushion. The four strain gauges in a pair of pressure sensors constitute a full-bridge circuit.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the support blocks include symmetrically distributed first and second middle column blocks. The first middle column blocks include a first right side block, a second right side block, and a third right side block arranged sequentially from front to back in the posture monitoring cushion. The second middle column blocks include a first left side block, a second left side block, and a third left side block arranged sequentially from front to back in the posture monitoring cushion.

[0021] A pair of pressure sensors are provided in the first right-side segment and the first left-side segment;

[0022] The second right side segment, the third right side segment, the second left side segment, and the third left side segment are each connected to two pairs of pressure sensors. The four pressure sensors contained in the two pairs of pressure sensors are respectively set on the four corners of the corresponding support segment.

[0023] In this implementation, the stability of the supporting blocks is improved.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the multiple support blocks further include a first side block and a second side block, wherein the first side block is located on the side of the first middle column block that is away from the second middle column block, and the second side block is located on the side of the second middle column block that is away from the first middle column block.

[0025] The first side block and the second side block are respectively connected to two pressure sensors. The two pressure sensors are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction, and the strain gauges of the pressure sensors form a full-bridge circuit or a half-bridge circuit.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the elastic component and the structural support plate are an integral structure; and / or

[0027] The fixing component, the elastic component, and the corresponding support block are integrated into a single structure.

[0028] In this implementation, the assembly process is simplified and production efficiency is improved.

[0029] One possible implementation also includes a surface layer, which is located above the support layer and is used to contact the user's lower limbs, and / or;

[0030] The carrier layer also includes a bottom shell, a structural support plate is located on the bottom shell, and a control circuit board is mounted on the bottom shell. The control circuit board is electrically connected to multiple pressure sensors.

[0031] Secondly, this application provides a posture monitoring seat, which includes the posture monitoring cushion mentioned above, as well as a backrest, a chassis, a bracket and rollers. The carrier layer is disposed above the chassis, the backrest is disposed on the rear side of the chassis, the chassis is connected to the top of the bracket, and the rollers are rotatably disposed at the bottom of the bracket.

[0032] The posture monitoring cushion and chair based on embodiments of this application divide the support layer into multiple symmetrically distributed support blocks. Different support blocks support different parts of the user's lower limbs, and each support block is connected to a corresponding pressure sensor. This allows for more precise monitoring and identification of the user's posture. Since each support block and its connected pressure sensor are independent, when a support block is subjected to pressure, only the pressure sensor connected to it is affected, while other pressure sensors remain unaffected. This arrangement enables each pressure sensor to more accurately extract the pressure signal characteristics of the corresponding support block for different parts of the user's lower limbs. Furthermore, the symmetrically distributed support blocks maintain the symmetry of the test data in the left-right direction, reducing misjudgments of the user's left-right movement posture.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the elastic component of the pressure sensor forms a first gap between the opposite sides of the sitting posture monitoring cushion in the left-right direction and the wall of the mounting hole. This makes it easier for the elastic component to deform in the front-back direction under stress, thereby making the strain gauge more sensitive in the front-back direction. This makes it easier to identify posture problems in the front-back direction, such as poor sitting posture like hunchback, with higher sensitivity.

[0034] Compared to related technologies, where additional bending moments in different directions can easily lead to significant errors in posture recognition test results, this application addresses this issue by dividing the support layer into multiple symmetrically distributed support blocks. This maintains the symmetry of test data in the left-right direction, reducing misjudgments of left-right human movement. Furthermore, by creating a first gap between the elastic component of the pressure sensor and the wall of the mounting hole on opposite sides of the left-right direction of the posture monitoring cushion, the strain gauge becomes more sensitive in the front-back direction, making it easier to identify postures such as hunchback and other poor sitting postures, with higher sensitivity. This effectively reduces the impact of additional bending moments in different directions on the sensor's test accuracy. This application not only reduces misjudgments of left-right human movement but also amplifies the differences in pressure sensor test data for postures like hunchback in the front-back direction, improving the algorithm's accuracy in posture recognition and thus enhancing the accuracy and reliability of the detection. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the posture monitoring seat provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 2 An exploded view of the posture monitoring cushion provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 3 An exploded view of the support layer of one embodiment provided in this application;

[0039] Figure 4 A perspective view of a structural support plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0041] Figure 6 A perspective view of the structural support plate provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the state of the support block under stress, as provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 9 A perspective view of a structural support plate provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the support plate from another perspective;

[0046] Figure 11 An exploded view of the support layer of yet another embodiment provided in this application;

[0047] Figure 12 A perspective view of a structural support plate provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 13 This is a circuit diagram of the pressure sensor constituting a full-bridge circuit according to this application.

[0049] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0050] 100. Posture monitoring seat; 10. Seat cushion; 11. Surface layer; 111. Fabric layer; 112. Soft padding layer; 12. Support layer; 121. Support block; 121a. First right side block; 121b. Second right side block; 121c. Third right side block; 121d. First left side block; 121e. Second left side block; 121f. Third left side block; 121g. First side block; 121h. Second side block; 122. Threaded column; 13. Carrier layer; 131. Structural support plate; 131a, Mounting hole; 131b, Fixing hole; 131c, Threaded hole; 132, Base shell; 20, Pressure sensor; 21, Elastic component; 211, Connecting part; 212, Loading part; 213, Support leg; 214, Fixing column; (22, 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d), Strain gauge; 23, Fixing component; 24, First gap; 25, Second gap; 26, Third gap; 30, Chair back; 40, Chassis; 50, Bracket; 60, Roller; 70, Headrest; 80, Control circuit board.

[0051] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0052] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] Where the following description relates to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0054] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0055] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0056] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a posture monitoring chair 100 according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The posture monitoring chair 100 can be a movable or fixed backrest chair, suitable for offices, schools, homes, and other similar locations.

[0057] The posture monitoring chair 100 may include a headrest 70, a backrest 30, a posture monitoring cushion 10, a base 40, a bracket 50, and casters 60. The headrest 70 is mounted on the upper part of the backrest 30, which is located behind the base 40, thus providing support for the user's back and waist when seated, increasing seating comfort. The posture monitoring cushion 10 is positioned above the base 40, which provides longitudinal support for the cushion 10, which supports the user when seated. The base 40 is connected to the top of the bracket 50, and the casters 60 are rotatably mounted on the bottom of the bracket 50.

[0058] To improve the comfort of the posture monitoring seat 100, the aforementioned bracket 50 can adopt a telescopic support structure, allowing for flexible adjustment of the seat cushion 10 height to accommodate users of different heights or meet the needs of different sitting postures. The bracket 50 can also employ a multi-leg structure with a radially distributed arrangement, each leg ending in a roller 60. Multiple rollers 60 simultaneously contact the ground, improving both the seat's stability and its mobility.

[0059] Please see Figure 2 The posture monitoring cushion 10 includes a carrier layer 13, multiple pressure sensors 20, and a support layer 12. The carrier layer 13 includes a structural support plate 131 and a bottom shell 132. The structural support plate 131 is located on top of the bottom shell 132 and is used to support the user. The bottom shell 132 is located above the chassis 40, and a control circuit board 80 is mounted on the bottom shell 132. The multiple pressure sensors 20 are electrically connected to the control circuit board 80.

[0060] To improve user comfort when sitting on the posture monitoring cushion 10, this embodiment further includes a surface layer 11. The surface layer 11 is located above the support layer 12 and is used to contact the user's lower limbs. The surface layer 11 includes a fabric layer 111 and a soft padding layer 112. The fabric layer 111 wraps around the soft padding layer 112 and is connected and fixed to the support layer 12. Both the soft padding layer 112 and the support layer 12 have concave structures formed in the same direction, which are used to adapt to the contours of the user's buttocks. This improves the wrapping effect of the soft padding layer 112 and the support layer 12 on the user's buttocks, enhancing sitting comfort. Optionally, the fabric layer 111 is designed to be detachably connected to the support layer 12. The connection method can be any one or a combination of at least two of the following: zipper, adhesive, buckle, magnetic attraction, etc., facilitating the removal, cleaning, or replacement of the fabric layer 111. The fabric layer 111 can be a cloth cover, leather cover, etc. The soft padding layer 112 can be a sponge layer, latex layer, etc.

[0061] The bottom shell 132 is used to mount the support structure support plate 131 and the control circuit board 80. The support structure support plate 131 is used to mount the support layer 12 and the surface layer 11, making the overall structure of the seat cushion 10 simple and the connection of each component highly reliable. The support structure support plate 131 is provided with multiple mounting holes 131a, which are used to mount multiple pressure sensors 20.

[0062] In one embodiment, the pressure sensor 20 is connected to its corresponding FPC via a 6-pin clip, and then multiple FPCs can be connected to the control circuit board 80 one by one or in groups.

[0063] The control circuit board 80 includes an MCU (microcontroller unit), an ADC (analog-to-digital converter), a memory unit, an amplifier, a filter, a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth communication module, I / O ports, a battery and charging circuit, etc. In one feasible embodiment, the amplifier has a gain of 128; the digital-to-analog converter is a stand-alone ADC module with a 24-bit bit depth and a sampling rate of 80Hz. The basic requirements for the MCU are a minimum clock frequency of 80MHz and at least 128KB of RAM. It should be noted that the gain, filter circuit, or ADC parameters for different positions or types of pressure sensors 20 can be optimized according to individual requirements.

[0064] In the connection method between the structural support plate 131 and the bottom shell 132, the structural support plate 131 is provided with a fixing hole 131b, and the bottom shell 132 is provided with a connecting hole. Screws, bolts, and other threaded fasteners can be passed through the fixing hole 131b and the connecting hole to thread-fix the structural support plate 131 and the bottom shell 132. Alternatively, the structural support plate 131 and the bottom shell 132 can be connected by snap-fit. This application does not limit the specific connection method between the structural support plate 131 and the bottom shell 132. The structural support plate 131 is also provided with a threaded hole 131c recessed towards the bottom. Screws, bolts, and other threaded fasteners can be passed through the threaded hole 131c, the bottom shell 132, and the chassis 40 to fix the carrier layer 13 and the chassis 40 relatively.

[0065] The aforementioned structural support plate 131 and bottom shell 132 can be made of metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum alloy, iron, etc.). Metal materials generally have high strength and hardness and can withstand large loads and vibrations. They can also be made of plastic (e.g., polymethyl methacrylate, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone, etc.). Plastic materials have advantages such as light weight and good insulation. Here, this application does not limit the specific materials of the structural support plate 131 and bottom shell 132.

[0066] The support layer 12 is disposed above the carrier layer 13. The support layer 12 includes multiple support blocks 121, which are symmetrically distributed along the left-right direction of the posture monitoring cushion 10. The multiple support blocks 121 are used to support different parts of the user's lower limbs, such as the front of the thigh, the back of the thigh, and the buttocks. Each support block 121 is connected to at least one pressure sensor 20.

[0067] Please refer to the following: Figures 4 to 7 The pressure sensor 20 includes an elastic component 21, a strain gauge 22, and a fixing component 23. The elastic component 21 is connected to the wall of the mounting hole 131a, and the strain gauge 22 is mounted on the elastic component 21. The bottom of the fixing component 23 is connected to the elastic component 21, and the top is fixed relative to the corresponding support block 121. Thus, under the assembled conditions of the support layer 12 and the carrier layer 13, the fixing component 23 connects each support block 121 to the corresponding pressure sensor 20. When the support block 121 is subjected to pressure from the user, it can be quickly detected by the pressure sensor 20, thereby identifying abnormal sitting postures. Specifically, the force on the support block 121 is applied to the elastic component 21 through the fixing component 23, and the strain gauge 22 changes its resistance with the change of strain in the elastic component 21, thereby identifying different sitting postures based on the output test data of the pressure sensor 20.

[0068] To facilitate the fixed connection of the top and bottom of the fixing component 23 to the elastic component 21 and the corresponding support block 121, respectively, the elastic component 21 is provided with a fixing post 214, and the bottom of the support block 121 is provided with a threaded post 122. The fixing component 23 is sleeved on the fixing post 214, and the top of the fixing component 23 is threadedly engaged with the threaded post 122. The fixing component 23 can be a nut structure, which facilitates the connection between the support block 121 and the elastic component 21. The elastic component 21 and the fixing post 214 can be an integral structure or a separate structure, and the support block 121 and the threaded post 122 can be an integral structure or a separate structure. This application is not limited to these limitations.

[0069] In summary, this embodiment divides the support layer 12 into multiple support blocks 121, with each block supporting different parts of the user's lower limbs. Each support block 121 is connected to a corresponding pressure sensor 20, allowing for more precise monitoring and identification of the user's sitting posture. This configuration decouples interference between different pressure sensors 20, enabling each sensor 20 to more accurately extract pressure signal features from the corresponding support block 121 for different parts of the user's lower limbs. Furthermore, based on the user's abnormal sitting posture, different pressure sensors 20 can specifically monitor pressure data in different areas of the thighs and buttocks, improving the accuracy of abnormal posture identification. Moreover, dividing the support layer 12 into multiple support blocks 121 maximizes the pressure differences associated with abnormal sitting postures, allowing for better reflection of the characteristics of different abnormal sitting postures by extracting pressure data from key areas.

[0070] Furthermore, after a person sits on the center of the seat cushion 10, the force on the elastic component 21 on the seat cushion 10 is basically symmetrical in the left-right direction. Moreover, the range of motion of the human body is relatively large between different postures in the left-right direction. Therefore, for left-right posture recognition, these postures can be easily identified by comparing the characteristics of the pressure values ​​of different pressure sensors 20. However, for front-back posture recognition, especially a slightly hunched posture, the change in mass distribution within the plane of the seat cushion 10 is small, and the variation in the test values ​​of the pressure sensors 20 is correspondingly small, making algorithm recognition more difficult. Therefore, it is possible to consider amplifying the characteristic differences in the test data of the pressure sensors 20. This would make it easier for the algorithm to identify hunched postures in the front-back direction, thereby improving the accuracy of posture recognition.

[0071] Please refer to the following: Figure 3 and Figure 4 The pressure sensors 20 on the two support blocks 121, which are symmetrically distributed along the central axis of the posture monitoring cushion 10, are also symmetrically distributed along the central axis LL of the posture monitoring cushion 10 in the left and right directions. In this way, the present application can maintain the symmetry of the test data of the cushion 10 in the left and right directions and reduce misjudgment of the left and right movement posture of the human body.

[0072] To improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor 20 in the front-back direction, in this embodiment, the elastic component 21 of the pressure sensor 20 forms a first gap 24 between its opposite sides in the left-right direction of the posture monitoring cushion 10 and the wall of the mounting hole 131a. This allows the elastic component 21 to deform more easily under pressure or tension in the front-back direction, making the strain gauge 22 more sensitive in the front-back direction and easier to identify postures such as hunchback. This makes it easier for the algorithm to identify hunchback postures in the front-back direction, thereby improving the accuracy of posture recognition. In summary, this application maintains the symmetry of the test data in the left-right direction of the cushion 10, reducing misjudgments of left-right human movement postures, and also amplifies the differences in the pressure sensor 20 test data for postures such as hunchback in the front-back direction, improving the accuracy of the algorithm for posture recognition.

[0073] To facilitate deformation of the elastic component 21 in the front-rear direction, in one embodiment of this application, the elastic component 21 includes a connecting portion 211, two legs 213, and a loading portion 212. The two legs 213 and the loading portion 212 are connected to the connecting portion 211 on the same side of the posture monitoring cushion 10 in the front-rear direction. The two legs 213 are spaced apart in the left-right direction and connected to the wall of the mounting hole 131a on one side in the front-rear direction. The loading portion 212 is located between the two legs 213. Specifically, a first gap 24 is formed between the outer contours of the connecting portion 211 and the legs 213 in the left-right direction and the wall of the mounting hole 131a; a second gap 25 is formed between the outer contour of the connecting portion 211 in the front-rear direction and the wall of the mounting hole 131a; and a third gap 26 is formed between the outer contour of the loading portion 212 in the front-rear direction and the wall of the mounting hole 131a. The strain gauge 22 is mounted on the support leg 213, and the fixing component 23 is connected to the loading part 212. It is understood that the strain gauge 22 can be mounted on the top of the support leg 213 or on the bottom of the support leg 213. Figure 7 As exemplarily shown, the strain gauge 22 is mounted on the bottom of the support leg 213. Since the top of the loading part 212 of the elastic member 21 is connected to the fixing member 23, the installation operation of mounting the strain gauge 22 on the bottom of the support leg 213 can be simpler and more convenient.

[0074] Specifically, after the fixed component 23 applies force to the loading part 212, the support leg 213 is more prone to deformation in the front-back direction. This makes the strain gauge 22 more sensitive to loads in the front-back direction. This means that poor posture or load changes in the front-back direction will cause a significant change in the resistance value output by the strain gauge 22. Furthermore, since the deviation caused by the additional bending moment in different front-back directions is different, the ability to identify abnormalities in the front-back direction can be further improved. Thus, when detecting changes in posture or load in the front-back direction, abnormalities can be determined based on the changes in the resistance value output by the strain gauge 22 and the differences in deviation. On the other hand, since the two support legs 213 are spaced apart in the left-right direction and symmetrically arranged relative to the loading part 212, the influence of the additional bending moment caused by loads in the left-right direction on the deformation of the support leg 213 and the output of the strain gauge 22 remains symmetrical. Therefore, the deviation caused by poor posture or load changes in the left-right direction is relatively small, and it is less sensitive to abnormalities in the left-right direction.

[0075] For example, please refer to [the relevant documents / references]. Figure 7 and Figure 8 When the load is applied to the center of the support block 121, that is, when the load is coaxial with the fixed component 23 and the elastic component 21, the load only applies axial force to the elastic component 21 of the pressure sensor 20. However, when the load is applied to other locations, the elastic component 21 of the pressure sensor 20, in addition to bearing the axial force, also needs to bear an additional bending moment. The impact of the additional bending moment in different directions on the testing accuracy of the pressure sensor 20 varies. For example... Figure 8 In the structure shown, point O is the center of the support block 121. When the load is applied to point O, the pressure sensor 20 measures a value of F. The distances from points A, B, C, and D to point O are equal. When the same vertical load F is applied to points A, B, C, and D respectively, the values ​​measured by the pressure sensor 20 are not equal.

[0076] Among them, the values ​​measured by pressure sensor 20 at points A and C differ significantly from the load F, while the values ​​at points C and D differ less. The measured values ​​at points A and C are, respectively, larger and smaller than the load F value. Specifically, when the load is applied to point O, strain gauges 22a and 22c are under tension, while strain gauges 22b and 22d are under compression. In this case, the resistance change caused by the tensile and compressive changes of strain gauge 22 is converted into the output signal of pressure sensor 20, resulting in a measured value of F. When the load is applied to point A, strain gauges 22a and 22c are still under tension, as are strain gauges 22b and 22d. In this case, the tensile change of strain gauge 22 is greater, leading to a larger output signal, thus the measured value will be larger than F. When the load is applied to point C, strain gauges 22a and 22c are under compression, as are strain gauges 22b and 22d. In this case, the compression change of strain gauge 22 is greater, which will lead to a smaller output signal, and therefore the test value will be smaller than F. For points B and D, due to the balance between tensile and compressive changes, two of the four strain gauges 22 are under tension, and the other two are under compression. In this case, the change of strain gauge 22 is relatively small, and the deviation of the output signal is also smaller.

[0077] This deviation increases with the distance between the point of application and point O. For example, when the distance OC is 65mm, the test data deviation of the load F applied to points O and C is about 7%; when the distance OC is 130mm, the test data deviation of the load F applied to points O and C is about 18%. Therefore, the elastic component 21 in this embodiment has a first gap 24 between its left and right sides and the mounting hole 131a, making the pressure sensor 20 more sensitive to the additional bending moment caused by the load in the front-rear direction, and the test value of the pressure sensor 20 is not sensitive to the additional bending moment caused by the load in the left-right direction, and the resulting deviation remains symmetrical.

[0078] Each support block 121 in this embodiment is connected to a pressure sensor 20. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 7 and Figure 13 The pressure sensor 20 includes four strain gauges 22 forming a full-bridge circuit. Two strain gauges 22 are mounted on one pin 213, and the two strain gauges 22 are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction. Strain gauges 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d correspond to the variable resistors R1, R2, R3, and R4 in the full-bridge circuit, respectively. Us is the excitation, and UO is the output signal; their relationship can be approximated as follows:

[0079]

[0080] The change in resistance of strain gauge 22 is linearly proportional to the strain of elastic component 21. Thus, the full-bridge circuit of each elastic component 21 can output test data to detect and measure the pressure on that support block 121, effectively enabling the monitoring and measurement of the pressure on each support block 121. Furthermore, due to its simple structure and small number of parts, this design offers high assembly efficiency.

[0081] Support blocks 121 are each connected to at least one pair of pressure sensors 20. Each pressure sensor 20 includes two strain gauges 22 and two fixed resistors. One strain gauge 22 and one fixed resistor from each pressure sensor 20 are mounted on one foot 213, and the other strain gauge 22 and the other fixed resistor are mounted on the other foot 213. Thus, the two strain gauges 22 and two fixed resistors on each pressure sensor 20 form a half-bridge circuit. The two half-bridge circuits in a pair of pressure sensors 20 are then connected to form a full-bridge circuit. The output signal of the full-bridge circuit can be obtained by measuring the unbalanced voltage of the bridge. When subjected to pressure or strain, the strain gauges 22 in the two half-bridge circuits cause an imbalance in the bridge, thereby generating an output signal. By measuring the change in the output signal, the value of the pressure or strain can be derived.

[0082] To make it easier for the elastic member 21 to deform in the front-rear direction. In another embodiment, please refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 The elastic component 21 has a strip-shaped structure, with its two ends fixed to the wall of the mounting hole 131a in the front-to-back direction of the posture monitoring cushion 10, and forming a first gap 24 between its two sides and the wall of the mounting hole 131a in the left-to-right direction. The fixing component 23 is connected to the middle of the elastic component 21, and the strain gauge 22 is mounted on the elastic component 21. This structure is simple, easy to manufacture, and provides high connection stability.

[0083] Each support block 121 is connected to a pressure sensor 20. The pressure sensor 20 includes four strain gauges 22 forming a full-bridge circuit, with pairs of strain gauges 22 positioned on opposite sides of the fixed component 23 in the front-back direction of the posture monitoring cushion 10. Specifically, two strain gauges 22 are positioned on the surface of the elastic component 21 where the fixed component 23 is located, and the other two strain gauges 22 are positioned on the surface of the elastic component 21 facing away from the fixed component 23. This improves the deformation capacity of the elastic component 21 in the front-back direction, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the strain gauges 22 to load sensing in the front-back direction. Moreover, the full-bridge circuit of each elastic component 21 can output a test data, effectively enabling the monitoring and measurement of the pressure of each support block 121. Furthermore, this design has a simple structure and fewer parts, resulting in high production and assembly efficiency.

[0084] Each support block 121 is connected to at least one pair of pressure sensors 20. Each pressure sensor 20 includes two strain gauges 22 and two fixed resistors. The two strain gauges 22 of each pressure sensor 20 are positioned on opposite sides of the fixing component 23 in the front-back direction of the posture monitoring cushion 10, and the two fixed resistors are also positioned on opposite sides of the fixing component 23 in the front-back direction of the posture monitoring cushion 10. Thus, each pressure sensor 20 forms a half-bridge circuit, and the two half-bridge circuits in a pair of pressure sensors 20 are connected to form a full-bridge circuit. The output signal of the full-bridge circuit can be obtained by measuring the unbalanced voltage of the bridge. When subjected to pressure or strain, the strain gauges 22 in the two half-bridge circuits cause an imbalance in the bridge, thereby generating an output signal. By measuring the change in the output signal, the value of pressure or strain can be deduced.

[0085] To further improve the symmetry of the test data in the left-right direction in the embodiments of this application, please refer to... Figure 11 and Figure 12 In each pair, the two pressure sensors 20 are symmetrically arranged in the left-right direction within their corresponding support blocks 121, and the legs 213 of each pressure sensor 20 are connected to the same side of the mounting hole 131a in the front-back direction. Thus, the symmetrical arrangement of a pair of pressure sensors 20 relative to the support blocks 121 maintains the symmetry of the test data in the left-right direction of the seat cushion 10. When the data of the seat cushion 10 in the left-right direction is symmetrical, errors in the test data caused by positional offsets or uneven layout can be avoided. If the data in the left-right direction is asymmetrical, it may lead to deviations in the system's left-right judgment, affecting the final result. By symmetrically arranging the pressure sensors 20 and the support blocks 121 in the left-right direction, the consistency of data acquisition can be maintained. Regardless of whether the user's sitting posture is tilted to the left or right, the system can accurately obtain the pressure distribution in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the symmetrical arrangement can improve the stability of the system. In actual use, the user's sitting posture may have slight changes in the left-right direction, and the symmetrical arrangement can better offset the effects of these changes, making the system output more stable and reliable.

[0086] Based on the above embodiments, the support block 121 includes a symmetrically distributed first intermediate column block and a second intermediate column block, which makes the structural design of the support layer 12 more regular and convenient for processing and molding. Moreover, the symmetrically distributed first intermediate column block and second intermediate column block have more balanced contact with the user's legs and buttocks, which can eliminate structural discomfort and cause deviations in monitoring results.

[0087] Please see Figure 11The first intermediate column includes a first right-side section 121a, a second right-side section 121b, and a third right-side section 121c arranged sequentially from front to back on the posture monitoring cushion 10. The first right-side section 121a corresponds to supporting the front of the user's right thigh, the second right-side section 121b corresponds to supporting the back of the user's right thigh, and the third right-side section 121c corresponds to supporting the right side of the user's buttocks. The second intermediate column includes a first left-side section 121d, a second left-side section 121e, and a third left-side section 121f arranged sequentially from front to back on the posture monitoring cushion 10. The first left-side section 121d corresponds to supporting the front of the user's left thigh, the second left-side section 121e corresponds to supporting the back of the user's left thigh, and the third left-side section 121f corresponds to supporting the left side of the user's buttocks.

[0088] The first right-side block 121a and the first left-side block 121d are each provided with a pair of pressure sensors 20, which are spaced apart in the left-right direction. Since the first right-side block 121a and the first left-side block 121d each have a pair of pressure sensors 20, i.e., two pressure sensors 20, these two pressure sensors 20 can individually form a full-bridge circuit, or each pressure sensor 20 can be a half-bridge circuit, and the two half-bridge circuits can be connected to form a full-bridge circuit. This application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0089] The second right-side block 121b, the third right-side block 121c, the second left-side block 121e, and the third left-side block 121f are each connected to two pairs of pressure sensors 20. The four pressure sensors 20 contained in each pair are respectively positioned at the four corners of the corresponding support block 121. Thus, the four fixing components 23 support the support block 121 at its four corners, effectively improving its stability. The four pressure sensors 20 corresponding to these support blocks 121 can each independently form a full-bridge circuit, or a pair of pressure sensors 20 can form a full-bridge circuit, or each of the four pressure sensors 20 can be a quarter-bridge circuit, with the four quarter-bridge circuits connected to form a full-bridge circuit. This application does not impose any limitations on this approach.

[0090] Please continue reading. Figure 11 The multiple support blocks 121 also include a first side block 121g and a second side block 121h. The first side block 121g is located on the side of the first middle column block opposite to the second middle column block, and the second side block 121h is located on the side of the second middle column block opposite to the first middle column block. The first side block 121g and the second side block 121h can be a single integrated structure, or they can comprise multiple separate blocks connected to each other and arranged side-by-side in the front-to-back direction of the posture monitoring seat 100.

[0091] In terms of length, the length of the first side block 121g is not less than the sum of the lengths of the first right side block 121a, the second right side block 121b, and the third right side block 121c (the length of the posture monitoring seat 100 along the front-back direction), while the length of the second side block 121h is not less than the sum of the lengths of the first left side block 121d, the second left side block 121e, and the third left side block 121f (the length of the posture monitoring seat 100 along the front-back direction). This maintains the square and regular structure of the support layer 12, ensuring the wrapping and support effect for the user's legs and buttocks. In addition, more pressure sensors 20 in different positions can be configured for the first side block 121g and the second side block 121h, thereby more accurately monitoring different pressure values ​​and more accurately identifying the abnormal sitting posture type of the current user.

[0092] In one embodiment of this application, the first side block 121g and the second side block 121h are respectively connected to two pressure sensors 20. The two pressure sensors 20 are spaced apart in the front-back direction. The strain gauges 22 of the two pressure sensors 20 can independently form a full-bridge circuit, or the strain gauge 22 of one pressure sensor 20 can form a half-bridge circuit, and the two half-bridge circuits are connected by a circuit to form a full-bridge circuit. This application is not limited to this.

[0093] In this embodiment, the elastic component 21 of the pressure sensor 20 is integrally formed with the structural support plate 131. The structural support plate 131 in this embodiment is generally a plate with uniform thickness, allowing for the creation of the elastic component 21 by processing steps such as stamping, die casting, and milling. Alternatively, the structural support plate 131 can be integrally molded by injection molding, and the elastic component 21 can be formed on the structural support plate 131. This simplifies assembly and improves the integration of the elastic component 21 with the structural support plate 131, thereby enhancing the stability of the elastic component 21 when supporting the support block 121. In some structural configurations, multiple material reduction holes can be machined on the structural support plate 131 to reduce costs and weight.

[0094] In the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this application. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0095] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A posture monitoring cushion, characterized in that, include: The carrier layer includes a structural support plate, which has multiple mounting holes. Multiple pressure sensors; as well as A support layer is disposed above the carrier layer. The support layer includes a plurality of support blocks symmetrically distributed along the left and right directions of the sitting posture monitoring cushion, and each support block is connected to at least one pressure sensor. The pressure sensor includes: An elastic component is connected to the wall of the mounting hole, and the elastic component forms a first gap with the wall of the mounting hole on opposite sides of the left and right sides of the sitting posture monitoring cushion. Strain gauge, the strain gauge being mounted on the elastic member; and The fixed component is connected to the elastic component at the bottom and fixedly connected to the corresponding support block at the top.

2. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure sensors on the two support blocks that are symmetrically distributed along the left and right directions of the posture monitoring cushion are also symmetrically distributed along the left and right directions of the posture monitoring cushion.

3. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic component includes a connecting part, two support legs, and a loading part. The two support legs and the loading part are connected to the connecting part on the same side in the front-back direction of the posture monitoring cushion. The two support legs are spaced apart in the left-right direction and are connected to the wall of the mounting hole on one side in the front-back direction. The loading part is located between the two support legs. Wherein, the connecting part and the support leg form a first gap between the outer contour of the connecting part in the left-right direction and the wall of the mounting hole, the connecting part forms a second gap between the outer contour of the connecting part in the front-back direction and the wall of the mounting hole, the strain gauge is mounted on the support leg, and the fixing component is connected to the loading part.

4. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the support blocks is connected to a pressure sensor, which includes four strain gauges forming a full-bridge circuit. Two strain gauges are mounted on each support leg, and the two strain gauges are spaced apart in the front-rear direction.

5. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support blocks are each connected to at least one pair of pressure sensors. Each pressure sensor includes two strain gauges, and the two strain gauges in each pressure sensor are respectively mounted on one of the support legs. The four strain gauges in a pair of pressure sensors form a full-bridge circuit.

6. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 5, characterized in that, Two pressure sensors in each pair are symmetrically arranged in the left-right direction in their corresponding support blocks, and the legs of each pressure sensor are connected to the same side of the mounting hole in the front-back direction.

7. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic component is fixed to the wall of the mounting hole at both ends of the posture monitoring cushion in the front-back direction, and forms the first gap between the two sides of the mounting hole in the left-right direction and the wall of the mounting hole. The fixing component is connected to the middle of the elastic component, and the strain gauge is installed on the elastic component.

8. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 7, characterized in that, Each of the support blocks is connected to a pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor includes four strain gauges forming a full-bridge circuit, with each pair of strain gauges positioned on opposite sides of the fixed component in the front-back direction of the posture monitoring cushion.

9. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 8, characterized in that, Each of the support blocks is connected to at least one pair of pressure sensors. Each pressure sensor includes two strain gauges, and the two strain gauges in each pressure sensor are arranged on opposite sides of the fixing component in the front-back direction of the posture monitoring cushion. The four strain gauges in a pair of pressure sensors form a full-bridge circuit.

10. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 6 or 9, characterized in that, The support blocks include symmetrically distributed first middle column blocks and second middle column blocks. The first middle column blocks include a first right side block, a second right side block, and a third right side block arranged sequentially from front to back on the posture monitoring cushion. The second middle column blocks include a first left side block, a second left side block, and a third left side block arranged sequentially from front to back on the posture monitoring cushion. The first right block and the first left block are each provided with a pair of pressure sensors; The second right side block, the third right side block, the second left side block, and the third left side block are each connected to two pairs of pressure sensors, and the four pressure sensors contained in the two pairs of pressure sensors are respectively set on the four corners of the corresponding support block.

11. The posture monitoring cushion according to claim 10, characterized in that, The plurality of support blocks further include a first side block and a second side block, wherein the first side block is located on the side of the first middle column block opposite to the second middle column block, and the second side block is located on the side of the second middle column block opposite to the first middle column block; The first side block and the second side block are respectively connected to two pressure sensors, and the two pressure sensors are spaced apart in the front-back direction. The strain gauges of the pressure sensors form a full-bridge circuit or a half-bridge circuit.

12. The posture monitoring cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The elastic component and the structural support plate are an integral structure; and / or The fixing component, the elastic component, and the corresponding support block are integrated into a single structure.

13. The posture monitoring cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, It also includes a surface layer, which is located above the support layer and is used to contact the user's lower limbs, and / or; The carrier layer also includes a bottom shell, the structural support plate is disposed on the bottom shell, and a control circuit board is mounted on the bottom shell. The control circuit board is electrically connected to multiple pressure sensors.

14. A posture monitoring chair, characterized in that, The posture monitoring cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 13 further includes a backrest, a chassis, a bracket, and rollers. The carrier layer is disposed above the chassis, the backrest is disposed on the rear side of the chassis, the chassis is connected to the top of the bracket, and the rollers are rotatably disposed at the bottom of the bracket.

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