Walking Assistance Device with Bifurcated Elastic Strings for Sole Lifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional walking assistance devices are unable to lift the sole of a foot, making it difficult to provide support for walking up stairs or hills.
Innovation Solution
A walking assistance device featuring a belt-shaped lumbar region fixture and two elastic string-like members, one extending to the toe and the other to the heel, which are bifurcated near the knee and bound together at specific knee joint fissure gaps, providing support by lifting the sole of the foot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional walking assistance devices use simple elastic bands or cloths, then the device can be worn comfortably without tightness, but the device cannot lift the sole of the foot and cannot provide support for walking up stairs or hills
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic string-like member is divided into multiple segments: a first elastic string-like member extending from the lumbar region to the toe region, and a second elastic string-like member extending from the lumbar region to the heel region. Each member is further bifurcated near the knee into two lines that are bound together at specific positions (outer and inner knee joint fissure gaps). This segmentation allows the device to provide distributed support across different foot regions while maintaining comfort through gradual force distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from conventional two-dimensional cloth or band structures to a three-dimensional spatial configuration with elastic members extending along multiple paths (front side to toe, back side to heel) and bifurcating at the knee. This dimensional change enables the device to lift the entire sole of the foot and provide comprehensive support for stair climbing and hill walking while maintaining comfort through distributed elastic force.
2Device complexity
If the elastic members are fixed directly from lumbar region to foot, then the structure is simple, but the device cannot provide adequate support for lifting the sole during strenuous activities
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a single direct elastic member from lumbar region to foot, the invention segments the elastic support into two separate string-like members that follow different anatomical paths (anterior to toe, posterior to heel). Each member is bifurcated at the knee with lines bound at specific fissure gap positions, creating multiple force application points that collectively provide sufficient support force for sole lifting during strenuous activities while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
3Strength
If the device uses high elasticity materials like conventional elastic bands, then the device can assist walking by contributing elasticity, but the device cannot provide sufficient support for lifting the sole of the foot
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses high elasticity materials for the string-like members but segments them into multiple paths and bifurcations. The first member extends to the toe region while the second extends to the heel region, with both members bifurcated at the knee and bound at outer and inner fissure gaps. This segmentation distributes the elastic force across multiple contact points, enabling the device to lift the entire sole of the foot and provide versatile support for various activities including stair climbing and hill walking.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from conventional single-path elastic bands to a multi-dimensional elastic network with members extending along anterior and posterior paths, bifurcating at the knee, and anchoring at both toe and heel regions. This dimensional change enables the high elasticity materials to effectively lift the entire sole of the foot and provide comprehensive support for strenuous activities while maintaining material elasticity.
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 device effectively supports walking by lifting the sole of the foot, facilitating easier navigation of stairs and hills, while also providing assistance for daily walking and various forms of exercise.
Implementation Method 1
a first elastic string-like member... and a second elastic string-like member... each of the first elastic string-like member and the second elastic string-like member is bifurcated near a knee of a leg
Data Source
AI summary
A walking assistance device includes a belt-shaped lumbar region fixture, a first elastic string-like member, and a second elastic string-like member, wherein each of the first elastic string-like member and the second elastic string-like member is configured to be bifurcated near a knee of a leg, and the bifurcated parts of the first elastic string-like member and the second elastic string-like member are configured to be directly bound to each other at positions of an outer knee joint fissure gap and an inner knee joint fissure gap.