Adjustable Spinal Brace With Pivoting Belt Engagement Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lumbar belt type braces lack adjustability and flexibility to fit a wide range of waist sizes, leading to the need for a large inventory of different sizes and inadequate support for the thoraco-lumbro-sacral spine.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable circumferential length spinal brace featuring a belt with pivotally adjustable engagement members and a belt adjustment plate that allows for easy length adjustment by disengaging and re-engaging the belt, enabling uniform reduction or increase in length to fit various waist sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional lumbar belt type braces are used, then support for the spine is provided, but the braces lack adjustability and require a large inventory of various sizes to fit different waist sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The belt incorporates an adjustment plate with movable engagement members that allow the belt length to be dynamically changed. The engagement members can pivot between engaged and disengaged positions, enabling the user to adjust the effective length of the belt by pulling the free end through the passage slits, thus providing adaptability to fit various waist sizes without requiring multiple fixed-size braces.
2Ease of operation
If conventional lumbar belt type braces are used, then support is provided, but they lack ease of adjustment and require complex inventory management
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the adjustment plate with passage slits, the engagement members with pivoting capability, and the free end of the belt. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - the passage slits guide the belt, the engagement members secure or release the belt, and the free end is pulled for adjustment - making the overall adjustment process simple and intuitive despite the presence of multiple components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the brace is made flexible to reduce inventory, then adaptability improves, but support rigidity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The belt is designed with differentiated local properties: the main body of the belt maintains flexibility for comfort and adaptability, while the adjustment plate and engagement members provide localized rigidity and structural strength where needed for secure fastening and support. This allows the brace to be flexible overall for fitting various sizes while maintaining sufficient rigidity in critical areas for spinal support.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable length spinal brace includes an elongate belt and an adjustment plate having spaced apart belt passage slits through which the belt is passed and belt engagement members that are pivotally adjustable relative to the plate to engage or disengage the belt. The belt engagement members are engaged with the belt to maintain a desired length of the brace, and are disengaged from the belt to permit adjustment of the length of the brace.