Patent ID: 9226693
Filing Date: 2016-01-05
CPC Classification: A61B,A63B

Claim Text:
1. A canine gait analyzer, for use in connection with a treadmill having a frame, the frame having opposite left and right sides, a bed mounted on the frame, the bed extending between a forward end and a rear end, the bed having a top surface, front and rear rollers mounted on the frame, a belt mounted on the rollers, a motor driving one of the rollers, the belt having inner and outer surfaces, and a guardrail mounted on the frame, the canine gait analyzer comprising: at least one sensor panel, the sensor panel having a portion of flexible material extending between opposite front and rear ends, and between opposite left and right edges, the sensor panel having a pressure transducer array received on the flexible material, the transducer array having a plurality of pressure transducers arranged in a matrix, the sensor panel having at least one circuit board adjacent one of the left and right edges, the circuit board including electronic components, the sensor panel having conductive traces connecting the pressure transducers electrically to the circuit board; a sensor assembly including the at least one sensor panel, an antifriction membrane stacked above the sensor panel, and an elastomer sheet stacked adjacent the sensor panel, the sensor assembly having a front end, the sensor assembly being adapted for installation between the belt inner surface and the bed, the sensor assembly being adapted to lie generally flat upon the bed top surface, with the one of the left and right sensor panel edges having the circuit board extending outward and downward on the respective side of the frame; an attaching member having opposite top and bottom surfaces, the attaching member being adapted to extend across the bed forward end with the belt passing over the top surface, the sensor assembly and the bed being attached to the attaching member, so that the attaching member will hold the sensor assembly disposed on the bed with the sensor assembly front end adjacent the bed forward end, wherein the belt will pass over the sensor assembly without moving the sensor assembly with respect to the bed; and a side cover extending between opposite front and rear ends, the side cover being adapted to be attached to one of the frame left and right sides, the side cover being adapted to cover the sensor panel edge having the circuit board, so as to protect the sensor panel edge and the circuit board.