Patents by Inventor Daniel Merala

Daniel Merala has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method and apparatus for human trunk support device
    Patent number: 9308112
    Abstract: A trunk support device (100) is configurable to be worn by a person to reduce the muscle forces in the person's back during forward bending. The device (100), among other things, includes: a waist strap (102) which is configurable to be coupled to the person waist; a chest support (104) which is configurable to be coupled to the person's chest and capable of pushing against the person chest; and first and second torque generators (106) coupled to the chest support (104) and the waist strap (102) and capable of providing a resistance torque between them. In operation, when a person wearing the device (100) bends forward, at least one of the torque generators (106) imposes a torque between the chest support (104) and the waist strap (102), causing the chest support (104) to impose a force onto the person's chest backwardly and the waist strap (102) to impose a force onto the person's hip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Homayoon Kazerooni, Kibeum Ryoo, Han Woong Bae, Daniel Merala
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HUMAN TRUNK SUPPORT DEVICE
    Publication number: 20130184626
    Abstract: A trunk support device (100) is configurable to be worn by a person to reduce the muscle forces in the person's back during forward bending. The device (100), among other things, includes: a waist strap (102) which is configurable to be coupled to the person waist; a chest support (104) which is configurable to be coupled to the person's chest and capable of pushing against the person chest; and first and second torque generators (106) coupled to the chest support (104) and the waist strap (102) and capable of providing a resistance torque between them. In operation, when a person wearing the device (100) bends forward, at least one of the torque generators (106) imposes a torque between the chest support (104) and the waist strap (102), causing the chest support (104) to impose a force onto the person's chest backwardly and the waist strap (102) to impose a force onto the person's hip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Homayoon Kazerooni, Kibeum Ryoo, Han Woong Bae, Daniel Merala