Angled Instrument Grip Structure for Reduced Hand Fatigue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand-held instruments often cause user fatigue due to prolonged use, as they do not provide adequate support for the hand, leading to discomfort and reduced grip stability.
Innovation Solution
A grip design featuring angled sides and a channel configuration that supports the palm and thumb, with a relief slot to secure the instrument, allowing for a natural hand position and enhanced grip stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional hand-held instrument is used without additional support, then the device complexity is low, but user fatigue increases and grip stability deteriorates during prolonged use
Solution Approach 1:
The grip is divided into multiple functional segments: a palm support portion with a first surface for palm engagement, a thumb support portion with a second surface for thumb engagement, and an instrument receiving channel. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while collectively providing comprehensive hand support and instrument stabilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip acts as an intermediary device between the user's hand and the hand-held instrument. It provides a stable interface that transfers and distributes the user's hand forces to the instrument while supporting the natural anatomy of the hand, thereby improving grip stability without requiring the user to directly hold the instrument for extended periods.
2Ease of operation
If the grip provides comprehensive hand support with multiple angled surfaces, then user fatigue is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the grip are designed with locally optimized geometries: the palm support portion has a first surface at a first angle optimized for palm contact, while the thumb support portion has a second surface at a second angle optimized for thumb contact. The channel is positioned at a specific location to receive the instrument. This local quality approach ensures optimal ergonomics while maintaining manufacturability through modular design.
Data Source
AI summary
A grip for a hand-held instrument includes a top side, a bottom side including a first portion oriented at an acute angle relative to the top side, a front side continuous with the first portion of the bottom side, a back side including a first portion continuous with a second portion, and a channel extending from the top side to the bottom side. The first portion is oriented at a first obtuse angle relative to the top side. The second portion is oriented at a second obtuse angle relative to the bottom side. The channel defines a relief slot and an instrument axis. The instrument axis extends through the first portion of the bottom side.