Water-Filled Punching Bag Sensor Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water-filled punching bags lack the capability to track and measure workout statistics such as work rate, punching force, and other performance metrics during training sessions, which limits user feedback and progress monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A water-filled punching bag equipped with a battery-powered sensor assembly that includes a tube-shaped impact sensor and processor, capable of measuring pressure changes and transmitting data via Bluetooth to a smart device for analysis and display through a dedicated software application, providing metrics like impact force, workout duration, and calories burned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a water-filled punching bag is used, then the punching sensation more closely mimics hitting a human body and it is safer for joints, but it lacks the capability to track and measure workout statistics
Solution Approach 1:
A pressure sensor is inserted through the valve into the water-filled bag, acting as an intermediary element that detects internal pressure changes caused by external impacts. This allows the bag to maintain its water-filled safety characteristics while enabling measurement of impact forces through pressure variations in the fluid medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement systems with electronic pressure sensing technology. Instead of using mechanical gauges or external force sensors, the system uses a pressure sensor that electronically detects pressure changes in the water, converting mechanical impact into electrical signals for digital tracking and analysis.
2Loss of information
If a sensor assembly is added to the punching bag, then workout statistics can be tracked and measured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve serves multiple functions: it is used for filling the bag with water during setup, and also serves as the access point for inserting the pressure sensor. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate openings or mounting mechanisms, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining sensor integration capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The water-filled bag itself serves as the measurement medium. The water transmits impact forces internally, and the pressure sensor measures these forces by detecting pressure changes in the water. The system uses the bag's own filling material (water) as part of the sensing mechanism, eliminating the need for separate sensing media or complex transmission mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If a tube-shaped pressure sensor is inserted through the valve, then pressure changes can be measured to correlate with impact force, but the valve sealing and sensor positioning precision must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trying to create a precise sealed opening in the valve for the sensor, the approach is inverted: the sensor is inserted through the existing valve opening, and the valve itself (or its cap) is designed to seal around the sensor. This reverses the sealing challenge from creating a precise hole to adapting an existing seal to accommodate the sensor, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system calibrates the pressure sensor readings to account for the specific bag size and water volume. By adjusting the measurement parameters (pressure thresholds, conversion factors) based on bag specifications, the system achieves accurate impact force measurements without requiring extremely precise physical dimensions or seal tolerances. The calibration process compensates for variations in sensor insertion depth and sealing quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to track and analyze their workout performance effectively, offering a more engaging and data-driven training experience by providing real-time feedback and allowing for comparison and improvement across sessions.
Implementation Method 1
The tube-shaped impact sensor may include a pressure transducer. The impact sensor may be configured to measure a pressure change within the inflatable bag upon impact.
Implementation Method 2
The sensor assembly includes an impact sensor that is configured to detect impact with the inflatable bag.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid-filled punching bag assembly includes an inflatable bag and a sensor assembly cooperable with the inflatable bag. The sensor assembly includes an impact sensor that is configured to detect impact with the inflatable bag. A processor communicating with the sensor assembly is programmed to process sensor data from the impact sensor.