Adjustable Smock Tab and Receptacle Closure Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Institutional facilities face challenges in providing clothing for inmates that accommodates a wide range of body shapes and sizes while preventing the clothing from being used as a weapon, as existing designs often include detachable components that can be misused.
Innovation Solution
A smock with adjustable tab and receptacle combinations that require different forces to insert and remove, featuring wings that deform to secure the garment and prevent removal, eliminating the need for detachable components like buttons or zippers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If detachable components like buttons, zippers, or hook-and-loop fasteners are used for closure, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates because these components can be removed and used as weapons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes all detachable closure components (buttons, zippers, hooks) from the garment and replaces them with an integrated tab-and-receptacle system that is permanently embedded in the fabric. The tabs are formed from the garment material itself and stitched securely, eliminating removable parts that could be used as weapons while maintaining closure functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure system is merged with the garment structure itself. Tabs are formed integrally from the fabric and stitched directly to the garment body, while receptacles are created by forming channels or pockets in the fabric. This integration ensures that no separate closure components exist that could be detached and misused.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a wide variety of clothing sizes and styles are maintained in inventory, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The garment incorporates multiple tabs of varying lengths and positions, along with multiple receptacles at different locations, allowing dynamic adjustment of the closure system. Inmates can select different tab-receptacle combinations to achieve a proper fit for their body size and shape, transforming a static garment into an adjustable system.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure system is segmented into multiple discrete tabs and receptacles distributed across the garment. This segmentation allows selective engagement of different tab-receptacle pairs based on the wearer's dimensions, enabling a single garment design to accommodate multiple body types without requiring multiple inventory variants.
3Reliability
If tabs with large wings are used for secure engagement, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates because more force is required to insert and remove tabs
Solution Approach 1:
The tab design incorporates localized features: a narrow arm section for insertion, enlarged wing sections for security, and a tapered profile. The narrow arm requires minimal force to insert through the receptacle channel, while the enlarged wings create friction and mechanical interference once engaged, providing secure attachment without requiring excessive insertion force.
Solution Approach 2:
The tab geometry transitions through different dimensional parameters along its length. The width varies from narrow at the insertion point to wide at the wing sections, creating a parameter change that facilitates easy insertion followed by secure engagement. The tapered shape allows the tab to compress slightly during insertion, reducing resistance, then expand to lock in place.
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 smock provides a secure and adjustable fit for various body types, reducing the risk of misuse by ensuring that the garment cannot be easily removed or used as a weapon, thus enhancing safety in institutional settings.
Implementation Method 1
The wing is configured to deform when a first force that is less than a second force is applied to the wing. The deformed configuration facilitates insertion of the wing into the receptacle. The wing maintains its deformed configuration when a force equal to or less than the first force is applied to the wing in an opposing direction.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable smock that facilitates attachment and detachment from a person. The smock includes a body with one or more adjustable tabs. The tabs extend outward from the body and are configured to be inserted into a corresponding receptacle along an opposing section of the body.