Treadmill Force Plate Layout for Accurate Gait Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treadmills with force plates face challenges in installing vertical force transducers that are both simple and unobtrusive while ensuring accuracy and reliability of force measurements.
Innovation Solution
A treadmill design featuring a base with rotating elements supporting a surface of physical exercise, equipped with load cells arranged beneath to detect local force vectors, allowing for simple and unobtrusive installation of force transducers that provide accurate force measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If vertical force transducers are installed under the belt to create a force plate, then measurement precision of user interaction data is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The force plate is divided into multiple independent vertical force transducers arranged in an array under the belt, with each transducer measuring force at its specific location. This segmentation allows distributed force measurement across the belt surface, improving measurement precision while keeping individual transducer installation simpler
Solution Approach 2:
The belt itself serves as an intermediary structure that carries the force transducers. By mounting transducers on the belt rather than requiring separate complex mounting structures, the installation becomes less invasive and more straightforward, reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement capability
2Measurement precision
If force transducers are installed to ensure accurate biomechanical data collection, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation and installation simplicity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The force transducers are integrated with the belt structure, merging the force measurement function with the existing treadmill components. This integration eliminates the need for separate complex installation systems and allows the force plate to be installed as part of the belt assembly, improving ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of installing force transducers on a fixed base and having the belt move over them, the invention inverts the approach by mounting transducers on the moving belt itself. This inversion simplifies installation while maintaining the ability to measure vertical forces during user interaction
3Reliability
If a traditional force plate configuration is used, then measurement capability is maintained, but device complexity and system configuration become more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The belt structure serves multiple functions: it provides the moving surface for treadmill operation and simultaneously supports the force transducers for biomechanical measurement. This multi-functionality reduces system configuration complexity by eliminating the need for separate force plate mounting structures, while maintaining reliable data collection
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
The design enables accurate and reliable determination of force data, including user interaction information such as stride pace and gait analysis, with a simpler and less intrusive installation process.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of load cells arranged below the surface of physical exercise, each load cell being arranged below the surface of physical exercise in such a way as to detect data representative of a local force vector along a direction orthogonal to the portion of the surface of physical exercise in correspondence of such load cell due to the user's interaction with the surface of physical exercise
Data Source
AI summary
A treadmill is provided which has a first supporting component of a surface of physical exercise of the treadmill and a second supporting component of the surface of physical exercise arranged on a first side of the surface of physical exercise and on a second side of the surface of physical exercise, respectively, parallel to a direction of longitudinal development of a base of the treadmill. The surface of physical exercise is mechanically connected to the first supporting component and to the second supporting component to slide along the direction of longitudinal development of the base of the treadmill. A plurality of load cells is arranged below the first supporting component of the surface of physical exercise and the second supporting component of the surface of physical exercise.