Variable-Thickness Arm Brace With Integrated Adjustable Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing arm external fixing braces are cumbersome, require multiple parts for assembly, lack adjustability, cause skin damage, and have inconsistent thickness leading to discomfort and poor fit, with complex manufacturing processes and high costs.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece, integrally molded arm external fixing brace with variable thickness and snap fasteners, made from a composite material of PCL, EVA, and inorganic filler, using low-temperature, high-pressure injection molding, allowing for adjustable fit and reduced manufacturing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a 3D printed brace is used to closely contact the skin, then the fit and comfort are improved, but the device complexity increases and it requires multiple parts to be combined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functional components (brace body, connecting means, fastening mechanisms) into a single molded structure. The connecting means is formed as an integral part of the brace body through injection molding, eliminating the need for separate assembly of multiple parts while maintaining the close skin contact and comfort benefits.
2Device complexity
If the brace is made as a single molded piece, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to adjust tightness after application is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates adjustable fastening mechanisms (such as Velcro straps or buckles) into the single molded structure, allowing the tightness to be dynamically adjusted after application. The connecting means includes features that enable post-application adjustment while maintaining the simplicity of a single-piece construction.
3Ease of operation
If the brace has variable thickness to conform to anatomy, then the comfort and fit are improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements variable thickness distribution within the single molded brace structure, with thicker regions in areas requiring additional support and thinner regions where flexibility is needed. The injection molding process is configured to achieve this non-uniform thickness distribution, with the mold design accommodating different thickness zones to optimize both comfort and manufacturing feasibility.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the material is made flexible for better fit, then the adaptability is improved, but the structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material formulation combining polymeric base materials with reinforcing fillers or fibers. This composite structure provides the necessary flexibility for anatomical conformity while maintaining adequate structural strength through the reinforcing components dispersed within the flexible matrix material.
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 solution provides a comfortable, adjustable, and cost-effective fixing brace that conforms to the human anatomy, reduces skin damage, and simplifies manufacturing, while maintaining effective fixation and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a shape memory mesh plate which is molded integrally by a one-time injection
Implementation Method 2
a shape memory mesh plate made from a shape memory material transforms from a high-temperature phase to a low-temperature phase
Data Source
AI summary
An arm external fixing brace (10), characterized by a thickness (H) of an edge of a mesh panel (12) thereof being greater than a thickness (B) of a central location. Selectively, raw materials of the mesh panel (12) being, according to weight: 60-78% PCL; 20-38% EVA; 2-20% inorganic filler; a thickness of an edge of a large ventilation hole of the mesh panel (12) being less than a thickness between the centers of two adjacent large ventilation holes; multiple fastening substrates (300) being pre-embedded at adjacent horizontal edge locations of the mesh panel (12); two wings of a fastening substrate (300) being provided with side holes (305), two sides of a middle part of a fastening substrate (300) being provided with grooves (302, 303) having symmetrical structures, the middle part of a fastening substrate (300) being provided with a middle hole (304), and a non-return surface (301) being provided at two sides of a circumference of the middle hole (304) inside the grooves (302, 303); two sides of a thumb hole (15) of the mesh panel (12) being tapered surfaces having symmetrical structures. The arm external fixing brace has few components, but simultaneously can prevent adhesion during a molding process so as to facilitate removal from a mold, make clinical operation convenient, and be comfortable to wear, metrics which were previously in conflict with one another.