Body Support System Redistributing Load to Pelvic Girdle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current body armor systems cause excessive strain and fatigue on the spine and shoulders due to the distribution of heavy loads, leading to a high incidence of injuries and decreased physical endurance, particularly in military and industrial settings, as they are designed to bear weight through the most unstable joints rather than the more stable pelvic girdle.
Innovation Solution
A body support system that redistributes the weight from the shoulders and spine to the hips and legs using a combination of nylon webbing, Kevlar fabric, semi-rigid composite components, and shock-absorbing materials, with adjustable features to ensure proper fit and distribution of load, thereby minimizing stress on the spinal and shoulder joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If body armor systems are designed to bear weight through the shoulders and spine, then the protective coverage is achieved, but the strain and fatigue on the spine and shoulders increases
Solution Approach 1:
The body support system divides the load-bearing function into separate components: a shoulder yoke section for upper body support, a vertical section along the spine, and a hip section with hip elements for lower body support. This segmentation allows the load to be distributed across multiple anatomical regions rather than concentrated on the shoulders and spine alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transfers the load path from a vertical dimension (shoulders-spine) to include a lateral dimension (hips), creating a three-dimensional load distribution network. The hip elements extend laterally to engage the pelvic girdle, adding a new dimension to load bearing that relieves the spinal column.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If heavy loads are distributed through the shoulders and spine, then the body armor provides necessary protection, but the physical endurance and comfort of the wearer decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates an equipotential load distribution by positioning the hip elements to engage the pelvic girdle at a level that balances the center of gravity. This equalizes the mechanical stress across the support structure, allowing the wearer to maintain endurance over extended periods without creating stress concentration points.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical section acts as an intermediary element that connects the shoulder yoke to the hip section. It includes shock-absorbing materials and flexible components that mediate the transmission of forces, reducing peak loads and distributing them more evenly across the support structure.
3Strength
If the body armor system uses rigid structural components, then the load bearing capability is increased, but the flexibility and range of motion of the wearer is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hip elements are designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing them to flex and adapt to the wearer's movements. The connection between the vertical section and hip section includes flexible joints and shock-absorbing materials that provide rigidity when needed for load bearing while allowing motion during normal activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs materials and structures with variable mechanical properties. The shock-absorbing materials in the vertical section and at the hip connections change their stiffness based on the applied load, providing rigidity under heavy loads while remaining flexible during normal movement, thus adapting the mechanical parameters to the operational requirements.
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 system significantly reduces the strain on the spine and shoulders, enhancing comfort and endurance by effectively transferring the load to the more stable pelvic girdle, thereby decreasing the risk of injuries and fatigue, and allowing for more accurate biomechanical movement.
Implementation Method 1
shock-absorbing materials
Implementation Method 2
Kevlar fabric
Data Source
AI summary
A body support system having a frame with a vertical section that couples with a shoulder section and a hip section that are flexible and configured to fit over the shoulders and around a user's hips. The hip elements are coupled to the vertical section and allow limited pelvic rotation around vertical axis orthogonal to the vertical section. The hip elements are configured to use a latching hip strap to couple hip padding to the hip elements. The vertical section may have spinal padding for the thoracic portion of the spine. The shoulder section has shoulder elements are curved and coupled to form a yoke that fits over the shoulders. The yoke may couple to lifting straps. The vertical section may be curved to conform to the shape of a user's back.