Biomechanical Knee Strap with Dynamic Elastic Moduli
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leg-protecting apparatuses fail to provide reliable protection and comfort during exercise due to single elastic fabric limitations, which lead to inadequate support for knee joints and increased sweat retention, resulting in discomfort and reduced effectiveness in preventing injuries.
Innovation Solution
A leg-protecting apparatus with a biomechanically designed strap system that includes cruciate ligament, patellar tendon, thigh muscle group, and calf muscle group straps with non-linear elastic moduli, and a thermal comfort zone for sweat removal, ensuring dynamic protection and comfort by adjusting elastic modulus with knee bending and incorporating materials for enhanced moisture management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If single elastic fabric is used for leg protection, then the apparatus is simple in structure, but it fails to provide reliable protection and comfort during exercise
Solution Approach 1:
The leg-protecting apparatus is divided into multiple functional segments: a biomechanically protecting strap system with five different straps (cruciate ligament, patellar tendon, thigh muscle group, calf muscle group, and reinforcing straps) and a thermal comfort zone. Each segment serves a specific protective or comfort function, allowing the apparatus to provide comprehensive protection while maintaining modularity and manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus uses composite material structures combining elastic fabrics with non-linear elastic modulus materials in the protecting straps, and separates the protecting function from the thermal management function through distinct zones. This allows the apparatus to simultaneously achieve reliable mechanical protection and thermal comfort.
2Ease of operation
If single elastic fabric is used, then manufacturing is simple, but sweat retention increases causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus separates the leg protection into a biomechanically protecting strap system and a thermal comfort zone. The thermal comfort zone is specifically designed to manage sweat and heat, preventing sweat retention discomfort while the protecting straps provide mechanical support.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal comfort zone acts as an intermediary layer between the protecting straps and the skin, managing thermal and moisture conditions. This intermediary zone facilitates sweat evaporation and heat dissipation, reducing the harmful effects of sweat retention.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixed elastic modulus is used, then the apparatus is simple to manufacture, but it cannot adapt to different knee bending angles
Solution Approach 1:
The protecting straps are made from materials with non-linear elastic moduli that dynamically adjust their stiffness based on the degree of knee bending. When the knee bends at smaller angles, the material becomes softer to accommodate the movement; when the knee is extended, the material becomes stiffer to provide stronger support. This dynamic adaptation occurs automatically through the material's inherent properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic modulus parameter of the protecting strap materials changes in response to fabric tensile ratio changes caused by knee bending. This parameter change allows the apparatus to adapt to different knee angles and exercise intensities without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
4Reliability
If uniform pressure is applied, then the apparatus is simple in design, but it cannot provide targeted support for different muscle groups and ligaments
Solution Approach 1:
Each protecting strap is specifically designed to target a particular muscle group or ligament: the cruciate ligament protecting strap targets the cruciate ligaments, the patellar tendon protecting strap targets the patellar tendon, the thigh muscle group protecting strap targets the quadriceps and hamstring muscles, and the calf muscle group protecting strap targets the calf muscles. This localized targeting provides effective support for each structure without requiring excessive complexity.
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 apparatus provides comfortable and effective protection by automatically adjusting elastic modulus with knee angles, reducing knee joint injuries and muscle strains, while improving sweat management and heat dissipation, thus enhancing exercise performance and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic moduli of the cruciate ligament protecting strap (A-1) and the patellar tendon protecting strap (A-2) have step-change upon a change in a fabric tensile ratio caused by the bending of the knee of the wearer
Implementation Method 2
a thermal comfort zone (B) for sweat removal which may extend from a lower portion on a gastrocnemius muscle of the calf to a thigh muscle group
Data Source
AI summary
A leg-protecting apparatus is arranged in close contact with a body surface of a wearer to cover a thigh, a knee, and a calf of the wearer, including a biomechanically protecting strap arranged to correspond with structural locations and paths of tendons and ligaments of the knee and muscles proximal thereto during an exercise process. The strap comprises a cruciate ligament protecting strap, a patellar tendon protecting strap, a thigh muscle group protecting strap, and a calf muscle group protecting strap. Elastic moduli of the cruciate ligament protecting strap and the patellar tendon protecting strap has a step-change upon a change in a fabric tensile ratio caused by the knee bending of the wearer, wherein the step-change occurs after an initial low tensile modulus stage, during a tensile sudden-change stage, and before a high tensile modulus stage transitioning between the stages as knee angle decreases.