FR2628239A1 - Counter-recorder to measure distance travelled pedestrian - uses fluid sack in the shoe heel to generate pressure impulses accumulated on mechanical counter - Google Patents

Abstract

The counter-recorder comprises a small reservoir filled with fluid (1) incorporated into the shoe (3) worn by the user and connected, by a tube (6), to a box (5) either fixed to the user's shoe or to the user's belt, containing a dial or drum-type cumulative mechanical counter driven by the pressure transmitted from the liquid reservoir with each step taken. The pressure recorder has a membrane which responds to the pressure impulse and displaces a rod which in turn activates a conventional mechanical counter mechanism. The recorder thus accumulates the total pressure exerted as the user walks. An adjusting screw is provided to allo compensation of the weight of the user. USE/ADVANTAGE - Allows measurement of total distance walked by pedestrian regardless of speed, through automatic compensation for altered stride.

Description

(i) RÉP'JBLIQUE FRAN AISE Publication No. 2 628 239 (use only

  for NATIONAL INSTITUTE reproduction orders)

: INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

  OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY N national registration 88 02891 PARIS

(f Int CI4: G 06 M 1/12.

@ A1 PATENT APPLICATION

  Filing date: March 2, 1988.) Applicant (s): BERNARD Charlie. - FR.

) Priority

(Inventor (s): Charlie Bernard.

  (4 Date of public availability of the

  application: BOPI "Patents" n 36 of September 8, 1989.

  References to other national documents appearing

rented: rt Holder (s):

Agent (s): John Schmitt.

  (Counter-recorder of the distance traveled by a pedestrian.

  (5 This device comprises a liquid reservoir pocket 1 housed in one of the user's shoes 3 and connected, by a tube 6, to a housing 5 fixed to said shoe, or to the belt, containing control means for the needle of a

  recorder dial and / or barrels of a counter-totali-

  said means being moved by the pressure of the liquid expelled from the reservoir pocket 1 under the thrust of the heel of the

  pedestrian each time he puts his shoe on the ground.

  The liquid from the reservoir pocket 1 feeds a volumetric chamber constituted by an elastic membrane associated with a rod operating a lever driving the rotation

  I of a ratchet wheel coupled to a reduction gear train

  teurs moving a rotating hand in front of the dial of a

  counter and / or controlling a barrel counter.

  N oe N e D Sale of booklets to IMPRIMERIE NATIONALE 27, rue de la Convention 75732 PARIS CEDEX 15 I LD sale of booklets to IMPRIMERIE NATIONALE. 27, rue de la Convention - 75732 PARIS CEDEX 15 - 1 Counter-recorder of the distance traveled by a pedestrian! Ton. The subject of the present invention is an apparatus intended

  to measure and record the distance traveled by a pedestrian

  tone regardless of its speed of movement.

  We know that a pedestrian exerts at each step on his support foot a thrust greater than his body weight and

  that this pressure increases appreciably if the step increases

said.

  We therefore imagined making a simple device, pra-

  tick and rational, capable of using these variations in pressure exerted at each step of the pedestrian during his

  movement to recover mechanical energy,

surer and transcribe it.

  For this purpose, the apparatus in question comprises essen-

  tial a liquid reservoir pocket made of deformable material intended to be housed in one of the pedestrian's shoes, in particular at the level of the heel under a flexible sole and connected, by a tube, to a case fixed to the shoe or to the belt, containing means of

  operation of a recording and / or counter-totaling device

  such as those sold commercially, ms by the pressure of the liquid expelled from the reservoir bag under

the push of the pedestrian's heel.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the in-

  vention, the liquid from the reservoir pocket feeds a volumetric chamber constituted by an elastic membrane associated with a rod operating a lever driving the

  rotation of a ratchet wheel coupled to a train of pi-

  reduction gnons moving a rotary needle in front of the

  dial of a counter and / or controlling a barrel counter

lets.

  Whenever the liquid in the storage bag

  see is driven out by the pressure of the heel of the pedestrian, it joins the volumetric chamber which inflates and pushes the lever operating rod causing the rotation of the wheel to

  pawls and, consequently, that of the reduction gears of the comp-

  recorder who measures, records and totals the said

  pressure exerted by transcribing it in meters and / or in deca-

  meters and / or hectometers and / or kilometers.

  A screw and spring return calibration system

  health on the volumetric chamber allows to adjust the device

  depending on the weight of the user.

  The invention is set out below in more detail using

  of drawings representing only one embodiment.

  Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of a

  shoe fitted with the device according to the invention.

  Figure 2 is a plan view from above.

  Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view

  the case constituting the meter-recorder.

  Figure 4 is a plan view in section along

axis A-A of figure 3.

  Figure 5 is a plan view in section along

axis B-B of al figure 3.

  In the drawings, the reference 1 designates the reservoir pocket made, for example, of flexible plastic material, or even of rubber, affecting the shape of a flat cushion of low

  thickness so as to fit, as illustrated in the figures

  res 1 and 2, in line with the heel 2 of a shoe 3 under a

heel pad 4 in felt.

  This reservoir pocket 1 joins a housing 5 by means of a small diameter tube 6. This housing, the size of a chronometer, is fixed to the upper of the shoe 3, either on the belt, by means with an adhesive band

  like "VELCRO", but not exclusively.

  The casing 5 comprises, in a small cylinder 7, a cham-

  volumetric bre 8 constituted by a flexible membrane connected

  the reservoir pocket 1 by a tube 6.

  The reservoir pocket 1, the tube 6 and the volumetric chamber

  -3- that 8 contain a liquid, for example oil, but

not exclusively.

  The volumetric chamber 8 is associated with a rod 9 coupled to an elbow lever 10, centered on the toothed axis ll of a ratchet wheel 12, said lever 10 itself comprising

  a pawl 23 meshing with said wheel 12.

  The toothed axis ll is engaged with the gear of a train of reducing pinions 13 controlling the rotation of a needle 14 moving in front of a dial 15 comprising

graduations 16.

  The gear 17 secured to the needle 14 is engaged with an endless screw 18 causing the set of barrels 19 of a counter-totalizer located to the right of a window 20

  cutting the dial 15 of the housing 5.

  In the example shown, the needle 14 and the gradua-

  16 of dial 15 can indicate the mileage day-

  nalier. For this purpose, graduations mark the kilometers

  and others the hectometers, or even the decametres, the comp-

  barrel tor 19 totaling the distances traveled at

each turn of the needle 14.

  The operation of the device takes place as follows: The pressure of the pedestrian's heel drives out part of the liquid contained in the reservoir pocket 1 towards the volumetric chamber 8 which inflates and pushes the rod 9 by compressing a return spring 21 pressing against an adjustable stop

22 screwed at the end of cylinder 7.

  The rod 9, pushed by the membrane 8, operates the lever 10 which drives, by its pawl 23, the toothed wheel 12, the semi-rotation of which controls that of the train of reducing pinions 13 and consequently the movement of the needle 14

  one or more graduations, depending on the impulse communicated

  quée. This operation is repeated each time the pedestrian places one of the shoes fitted with the device on the ground, i.e. every two steps, the distance then covered is automatically measured, transcribed and totaled by -4-

the counter-recorder.

  The device is calibrated by means of the adjustable stop 22, the screwing or unscrewing of which compresses

  more or less the return spring 21 of the membrane 8.

  This adjustment takes place when the pedestrian is stationary. he

  rests on the foot whose shoe is equipped with the counter-

  recorder 5. The needle 14 advances. By screwing the stop 22 until the needle 14 returns to zero, the user tares the recording counter according to its body weight. During walking, each compression of the pocket 1 controls the advancement of the needle 14 as previously explained. If the pedestrian lengthens the step, the pressure exerted by his heel on the reservoir pocket 1 increases and, consequently, the deformation of the chamber 8 is greater, which causes movements of the lever 10 to communicate more widely.

  pulses proportional to the needle 14.

  The needle 14 and the barrels 19 of the counter-totalizer

  are equipped with reset systems, as in

commercial devices.

  A watch can be combined with the case to indicate the time spent walking and the average kilometer

pedestrian timetable.

  It goes without saying that the counter system can be replaced.

  needle recorder, barrels and reduction pinions by

  other known means, such as by electro-

  liquid crystal displays, for example but not exclusively, without going beyond the scope of the invention. For this purpose, we replace the reservoir pocket (1) with gauges

constraints.

-5-

Claims (8)

Claims   1 - Counter-recorder of the distance traveled by   a pedestrian, characterized in that it comprises a pocket-   liquid reservoir (1) housed in one of the user's shoes (3) and connected, by a tube (6), to a housing (5) fixed on said shoe, or to the belt, containing   means for controlling the needle (14) of a dial recorded   recorder (15) and / or barrels (19) of a counter-totali-   said means being moved by the pressure of the liquid expelled from the reservoir pocket (1) under the thrust of the heel of the   pedestrian each time he puts his shoe on the ground.   2 - Counter-recorder according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid, in particular oil, contained in the tank-pocher (1) feeds a volumetric chamber (8) operating a rod (9) associated with a lever (10 ) driving, by means of pawls (23), a toothed wheel (12) integral with a train of reduction gears (13) controlling the rotation of the needle (14) in front of the dial (15) of the housing (5).   3 - Counter-recorder according to claim 2, characterized in that the. volumetric chamber (8) is constituted by a flexible deformable membrane recalled by   a spring (21) adjusted in compression by a stop (22).   4 - Counter-recorder according to claims 2   and 3, characterized in that the volumetric chamber (8), its spring (21) and its stop (22) are housed in a   small cylinder (7) contained by the shoemaker (5).   - Counter-recorder according to claims 1   and 2, characterized in that a gear (17) integral with the needle (14) drives a worm (18) for controlling   barrels (19) of the counter-totalizer.   6 - Counter-recorder according to claim 1,   characterized by the fact that the reservoir pocket (1) constituted by a thin cushion of flexible material is housed in line with the heel (2) of the shoe (3) under a heel (4) in felt.   - 6 7 - Counter-recorder according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (5) is fixed either on the upper of the shoe (3) or on the belt,   by means of an adhesive strap of the "VELCRO" type.   8 - Counter-recorder according to claim -1, characterized in that the dial (15) is provided with   radial graduations (16) designating decametres, hecto-   meters and kilometers that the barrels (19) with numbers total.   9 - Counter-recorder according to claims 1   and 2, characterized in that electronic components   liquid crystal displays replace indicators   mechanical teurs (14,15,19) and that strain gauges replace the reservoir pocket (1).   10 - Counter-recorder according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (5) is associated with a watch for indicating the time spent walking and the hourly average kilometer. PL. 1/2 l " THE ' PL.2 / 2 l.f Fi9..4 Fig. 4 19g..3Fig. 5 14 13 11 A 1912 5 Fig. 3