Ankle Brace Adjustable Strap Guide System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ankle brace technologies lack effective anatomical contouring and adjustable support mechanisms, leading to inadequate firmness and comfort during strenuous activities.
Innovation Solution
An ankle brace design featuring an inner and outer sleeve with strategically positioned slots and guides for adjustable straps, including a medial, lateral, and collar strap system, allowing for customizable tightening and anatomical alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional taping methods are used to support the foot and ankle, then the foot and ankle receive basic support, but the support is inadequate for strenuous activities and lacks anatomical precision
Solution Approach 1:
The ankle brace incorporates guides positioned at specific anatomical locations (medial guide at the medial malleolus, lateral guide at the lateral malleolus, top guide at the anterior tibia, bottom guide at the heel) to provide localized support where it is most needed. Each guide creates a specific routing path for straps to target particular anatomical structures, enabling precise local support rather than general compression.
Solution Approach 2:
The brace system divides support into multiple independent strap segments (medial strap, lateral strap, top strap, bottom strap) that can be individually adjusted. Each strap operates independently through its own guide system, allowing customized support at different anatomical regions rather than a single uniform support mechanism.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fixed-structure ankle braces are used, then the brace maintains structural integrity, but the brace cannot be adjusted to fit different user anatomies or provide customizable support
Solution Approach 1:
The ankle brace transforms from a fixed structure to a dynamic adjustable system through movable guides that can slide within slots on the outer sleeve. The guides can be repositioned along the slots to change strap routing paths and tension distribution, allowing the brace to adapt to different user anatomies and support requirements while maintaining structural integrity through the slot-guide constraint mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The guides serve multiple functions: they route straps, provide anatomical positioning references, enable adjustment mechanisms, and maintain structural alignment. The slot system allows the same guide structure to accommodate different strap positions and tension levels, making the brace universally adaptable to various foot and ankle geometries.
3Device complexity
If non-adjustable ankle braces are used, then the brace is simpler in design, but the brace provides inadequate firmness and comfort during strenuous activities
Solution Approach 1:
The user independently adjusts the brace by pulling on strap ends to tighten or loosening to relax the fit. The guides automatically route the straps through the correct anatomical paths without requiring external assistance or complex adjustment mechanisms. The system serves itself by using the user's own actions to achieve proper fit and support.
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary ankle brace includes an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, a medial guide, a lateral guide, a top guide, and a bottom guide. The brace also includes a medial strap and a lateral strap positioned around the user's ankle between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve. The medial strap and the lateral strap are configured to tighten the inner sleeve. The brace also includes a collar strap positioned around a tibia and a fibula of the user between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve. The collar strap is configured to tighten the inner sleeve such that the ankle brace maintains a predetermined height on the user's ankle. The brace also includes a pocket adapted to receive a removable arch support.