Patent pending # PCT/IB2021/054411
Our mission is to prevent asymmetrical physical activity of children at a very young age (up to 7-8 years old, while their skeleton and muscle system are still developing). Long exposure to asymmetrical physical activities as for example pushing a scooter with only one leg, may cause irreversible damage to a child’s growing body and such consequence may be felt for the rest of his/her life.
Together with Scientists from Lithuanian Sport University we are searching for effective methods and devices to forestall the growing problem.
Our patent application describes devices and ways of their implementation that may help parents to protect their children from related health problems in the future.
State of Art
Scooters have recently become extremely popular. Parents have started buying scooters for especially young children who are not yet sensible. Products for the children of this age are subject to especially stringent requirements, as the children are not yet able to comply with discipline, however one important aspect still remains unresolved. Usually, children ride scooters by using only one particular foot, left or right. Few parents know that constantly applying load to one part of the body can lead to skeletal distortions and irregular muscle formation. The younger the age of children, the greater is the risk of forming the irregular body structure as children’s bones, muscles and body tissues develop actively. Parents have no means to force or encourage their children to change their feet regularly while riding the scooter.
The technical solutions presented in the patent application of the invention ensure that the scooter rider is encouraged to change the pushing foot regularly.
Claims
Principle diagram of the foot change device, which is a braking mechanism with an additional audible alarm device
1. A device intended for vehicles that move by pushing with foot, characterized in that it comprises at least one limiting-warning module (10), which encourages the rider of the vehicle (20) to change his/her pushing foot.
2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one limiting-warning module (10) is a limiter (101) and/or a braking mechanism (104), and/or an alarm device (105).
3. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that it further comprises the following elements:
– at least one sensor (30) for determining which foot is the pushing one and the number of its strokes and other sensors for detecting the distance travelled, as well as other relevant indicators;
– an information processing/management device (40) for processing of the information received from the sensor(s) (30) and determining the foot change moment based on the time set as the time to change foot and the information received from the sensor(s) (30), as well as activating of at least one limiting-warning module (10).
4. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the limiter (101) comprises at least one protruding element (102) connected to the body of the limiter (101) preventing from proper pushing with a foot on the respective side of the vehicle (20).
5. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the limiter (101) is mounted on the frame (201) in the front part of the vehicle (20) or on the fixed part of the steering column (203), or on the frame (201) in the rear part, or on any side of the frame (201), or on the footrest platform (202), or under the footrest platform (202).
6. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the position of the protruding element (102) of the foot change device/limiter (101) is changed manually, where the rider of the vehicle (20) or another person changes the side of the protruding element (102) of the limiter (101), or automatically, where the limiter (101) is connected to the information processing/management device (40) and the side of the protruding element (102) of the limiter (101) is changed by means of a mechanism.
7. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the braking mechanism (104) comprises at least one wheel, which is subject to braking, where the braking mechanism (104) is connected to the information processing device (40) and, when the latter determines that it is time to change the foot, the said braking mechanism (104) is activated and starts decelerating at least one wheel of the vehicle (20), thereby preventing from further proper use of the vehicle (20).
8. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that its alarm device (105) is a device emitting light and/or sound (106), and/or vibration and other alarms, when it is time to change the foot, and the said device (105) is connected to the information processing device (40).
9. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that it further comprises an information input device (50) for determining or adjusting the desired time to change the foot and/or the algorithm of the foot change moment, and/or other relevant parameters.
10. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that it further comprises an information output device (60) for providing information to the rider of the vehicle (20).
11. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the said device measures and evaluates indicators including: the pushing foot and the duration of the foot strokes, and/or the number of the foot strokes, and/or the duration of use of the vehicle (20), and/or the distance travelled by the vehicle (20), and/or other indicators relevant to the user.
12. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the foot change moment is determined by repetitive equal and/or variable cycles, where the said foot change moment is calculated and/or otherwise determined by means of a mechanical and/or electronic device, or a system of such devices.
13. The device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the said device further comprises a lock preventing from unauthorized deactivation or modification of the rider’s foot change device of the vehicle (20) without the knowledge of a caregiver.
14. The device under any of the above items, characterized in that the vehicle (20) is a scooter.