Adaptive Grip Handle Structure for Narrow-Tool C-Position Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for individuals with osteoarthritis of the thumb and fingers, particularly when using narrow-diameter, long-handled tools, fail to maintain the thumb and fingers in a comfortable, 'C' position, leading to pain and potential worsening of the condition due to pinching actions.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive grip handle device with a rounded design featuring adjustable or flexible openings, such as bores or slits, that can accommodate various handle sizes, allowing the thumb and fingers to be positioned in a 'C' configuration, reducing stress on the CMC joint and providing grip surety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid or neoprene hand orthosis is used to support the thumb and fingers, then joint stability is improved, but the device cannot be worn when using tools with a narrow-diameter handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible, thin-film orthosis that can be wrapped around the hand and tool simultaneously. This flexible membrane structure provides joint support while adapting to the contours of narrow-diameter tool handles, resolving the contradiction between stability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The orthosis is designed to nest around both the hand and the tool handle, creating a layered configuration where the flexible support structure accommodates the tool within the hand wrap, enabling simultaneous support and tool compatibility.
2Ease of operation
If the thumb and fingers are positioned in a 'C' position to reduce pain, then ease of operation is improved, but existing devices fail to maintain this position when using narrow-diameter tools
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible orthosis dynamically adapts to the hand's movement and tool interaction, continuously maintaining the 'C' position through its elastic properties rather than rigid constraint, ensuring position reliability during tool operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible orthosis acts as an intermediary between the hand and the narrow-diameter tool, providing the mechanical support needed to maintain the therapeutic 'C' position while allowing natural interaction with the tool handle.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a universal grip device is designed to accommodate various handle sizes, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The orthosis utilizes changes in physical parameters—specifically the flexibility and elastic modulus of the membrane material—to achieve universal adaptability across different handle sizes without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane orthosis serves multiple functions simultaneously: providing joint support, maintaining grip position, and adapting to various tool handles, achieving universality through a single simple structure rather than multiple specialized components.
Data Source
AI summary
In one or more embodiments, an adaptive grip handle device for handheld tools with a narrow-diameter handle and a method for providing the same are disclosed. The adaptive grip handle device includes a rounded grip handle with an opening that allows insertion of the small handheld tool wherein the opening includes any of: an adjustable bore, a flexible bore, a flexible slit, a flexible cross slit, or a combination thereof, to grip a range of handle sizes, or a two-part device consisting of a hard outer shell and a flexible insert including a bore, slit, a cross slit or a combination thereof, and wherein the bore, the slit, the cross slit or a combination thereof either extends the length of the device or part of the length of the device depending on the tool it is designed to be used with.