Adjustable Pelvic Compression Belt for Post-Parturition Hip Realignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pelvic support devices are unsuitable for addressing the widening of the hips post-parturition due to their inelastic materials and design, which makes them ineffective in providing the necessary compression and realignment required after pregnancy.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable pelvic belt comprising an inner elastic belt and an outer belt with hook and loop fasteners, allowing for adjustable compression and wearability under clothing, specifically designed to reduce and realign the hips by applying pressure at or below the iliac crest, leveraging the pliability of the pelvic girdle during the post-partum period when relaxin is present.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If existing pelvic support devices use inelastic materials, then they provide structural stability, but they cannot effectively compress and realign the hips post-parturition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from inelastic to elastic, allowing the belt to dynamically adapt to pelvic movements while maintaining compression. The elastic inner belt can stretch and recover, providing continuous compression force that inelastic materials cannot achieve, thereby resolving the contradiction between stability and compression effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining elastic inner belt material with inelastic outer belt material. The elastic inner belt provides the necessary compression and flexibility, while the inelastic outer belt maintains structural integrity and provides the stabilizing framework, thus resolving the contradiction through material composition.
2Stability of the object's composition
If pelvic belts are designed with fixed compression, then they provide consistent pressure, but they cannot adapt to individual user needs or progressive recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustability through movable adjustment mechanisms on the outer belt that allow users to modify compression levels. This dynamic feature enables the belt to adapt to individual recovery stages and preferences while maintaining consistent pressure through the elastic inner belt's continuous contact, resolving the contradiction between consistency and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the belt into separable inner and outer components with independent adjustment capabilities. The inner elastic belt provides base compression, while the outer inelastic belt with adjustment mechanisms allows users to modify the compression level, creating a segmented system that balances consistent pressure with individual adaptability.
3Force
If the belt is made thick and substantial, then it provides adequate compression force, but it becomes uncomfortable to wear under clothing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin elastic material for the inner belt that provides adequate compression force through its elastic properties rather than thickness. The thin profile allows the belt to be worn under clothing comfortably, resolving the contradiction between compression force and wearability by using material elasticity instead of thickness to generate force.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach to generating compression force from thickness-based to elasticity-based. The thin elastic inner belt uses its material properties to provide sufficient compression force, eliminating the need for thick substantial material, thus resolving the contradiction between force and wearability through parameter change.
4Reliability
If the belt positions above the iliac crest, then it targets the pelvic girdle, but it cannot effectively address hip widening at the iliac crest level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the belt into inner and outer components that can be positioned independently. The inner elastic belt can be positioned below the iliac crest to target the pelvic girdle, while the outer inelastic belt with adjustment mechanisms can be positioned at the iliac crest level to address hip widening, allowing both functions to be achieved simultaneously through segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds vertical positioning flexibility by allowing the belt to be worn at different vertical locations (below or at the iliac crest). This dimensional flexibility enables the belt to target different anatomical regions for different functions, resolving the contradiction between pelvic girdle targeting and hip width reduction effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The belt effectively reduces the hip width and realigns the pelvis by applying consistent pressure, helping to close the gap in the pubic symphysis as relaxin levels decrease, thereby addressing the undesirable widening of the hips and potential misalignment, promoting stability and comfort without interfering with daily activities.
Implementation Method 1
The inner belt may be elastic over a first portion of its length
Implementation Method 2
both the second and third connectors may be hook and loop fasteners
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable pelvic compression belt for the reducing the width of, and/or realigning, a user's hips that is particularly adapted for post-parturition use. The belt may include an inner belt to be wrapped around the user's hips and positioned below the iliac crest. The midpoint of an outer belt may be attached to the inner belt at or near the midpoint of the inner belt. The ends of the outer belt may be adjusted to cinch the inner belt around the hips of the user, thereby compressing the user's pelvic girdle. Thereafter, the outer belt may be incrementally adjusted to further compress the user's pelvic girdle resulting in a narrowing of the user's hips. The belt is preferably worn within two to three months post-parturition or during a period in which relaxin is being administered to the user, and has a strength and thickness that facilitates use under garments.