Ergonomic Exercise Handle With Arcuate Frame For Wrist Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exercise equipment handles do not adequately reduce stress on the wrist joint and allow for natural alignment of the wrist and forearm, leading to potential injuries from compressive, shear, and torque forces during resistance exercises.
Innovation Solution
An ergonomic exercise handle with an arcuate frame that centers the grip's force application at its midpoint, allowing for free range of motion and natural wrist alignment through a slidable member with a clip or roller to reduce friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional fixed-geometry handle is used, then the structure is simple and stable, but the wrist joint sustains high compressive, shear and torque forces leading to injury
Solution Approach 1:
The handle incorporates a dynamic geometry adjustment mechanism that allows the force connection point to move relative to the grip position. This enables the handle to adapt its geometry during exercise movements, maintaining optimal wrist alignment and reducing harmful forces while the user performs resistance exercises.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle is divided into distinct functional segments: a grip portion, a force connection portion, and an adjustment mechanism. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component - the grip for user comfort, the force connection for resistance application, and the adjustment mechanism for geometry control - thereby reducing wrist stress without excessive overall complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the handle geometry is fixed, then manufacturing is simple, but the wrist cannot maintain natural alignment during range of motion
Solution Approach 1:
The handle employs adjustable geometry that allows the force connection point to be repositioned along the arc of wrist motion. This enables the wrist to maintain natural alignment throughout the full range of motion while performing resistance exercises, and the adjustment mechanism can be designed for straightforward manufacturing using standard components.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle design allows change in the geometric parameter of the force connection point position relative to the grip. By enabling this parameter to be adjusted, the handle adapts to different wrist angles and exercise positions, maintaining proper alignment without requiring complex custom manufacturing for each configuration.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the force application point is not centered on the wrist, then the handle structure is simpler, but the wrist joint experiences misalignment and increased stress
Solution Approach 1:
The force connection mechanism dynamically tracks the optimal position on the wrist arc throughout the exercise motion. This ensures the force application point remains centered relative to the wrist joint at all times, maintaining proper alignment and distributing forces evenly, while using a relatively simple mechanism to achieve this dynamic positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle acts as an intermediary between the resistance machine and the user's hand, with its adjustable geometry serving as a mediator that translates resistance forces into optimal wrist alignment. This intermediary function allows proper force distribution without requiring complex direct connection mechanisms between the machine and user.
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 ergonomic handle significantly reduces stress and fatigue on the wrist joint by allowing natural alignment and movement, improving comfort and safety during resistance exercises.
Implementation Method 1
a special clip fitted with a small roller to reduce friction
Data Source
AI summary
An ergonomic exercise handle having a semicircular arcuate member for connection to a resistive member and a handle grip having a longitudinal centerline that lies on the diameter of the semicircular arcuate member. A cable resistive member can be attached to the arcuate member with a conventional clip or with a special clip fitted with a small roller to reduce friction. The semicircular arcuate member permits the clip to move to a position in linear alignment with a center of the handle grip and the resistive member. Ends of the handle grip are spaced inwardly from ends of the semicircular arcuate member by circling back loop portions extending past the diameter of the arcuate member and inwardly from the arcuate member ends to the handle grip ends. The loop portions provide for a greater range of movement while still maintaining a center point of the arcuate member within the handle grip.