Adjustable Bone-Separation Brace for Knee Compression Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Knee pain and damage are caused by bone-on-bone contact due to compressive forces, which conventional treatments like anti-inflammatory drugs and total knee replacement surgery are inadequate for all patients, especially those not eligible for surgery, leading to prolonged pain and limited mobility.
Innovation Solution
A device with a first member attached to the foot and a second member secured to the thigh, connected by a hinge system, adjusts the distance between bones using adjustable rods and a coupling tube to prevent bone compression, allowing for movement and pain relief.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional treatments like anti-inflammatory drugs and total knee replacement surgery are used, then pain relief may be achieved for some patients, but these treatments are inadequate for patients not eligible for surgery and lead to prolonged pain and limited mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mechanical intermediary device (the apparatus with rods and coupling tube) that physically separates bone surfaces to prevent bone-on-bone contact. This mediator provides pain relief through mechanical intervention rather than pharmaceutical or surgical approaches, making it suitable for patients ineligible for total knee replacement surgery.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If bone-on-bone contact is prevented by maintaining distance between bones, then pain is relieved and damage is reduced, but the device complexity increases with multiple rods and coupling tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the load-bearing function into multiple segments (first rod, second rod, coupling tube) that work together to maintain bone separation. Each component has a specific function: rods provide structural support and spacing, while the coupling tube allows adjustment and accommodation of joint movement. This segmentation enables the device to prevent bone-on-bone contact while managing the complexity through functional specialization.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling tube introduces dynamic adjustability to the system, allowing the distance between bones to be modified based on patient needs and joint movement requirements. This dynamic element enables the rigid rod structure to adapt to varying physiological conditions, maintaining effectiveness while managing structural complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the device allows movement between engaging members to accommodate joint flexion and extension, then mobility is maintained, but the mechanism becomes more complex with hinges and adjustable components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a hinge mechanism that enables dynamic movement between the first and second engaging members, accommodating natural joint flexion and extension. The hinge allows the device to transition from a static structure to a dynamic system that adapts to joint motion, maintaining mobility while managing complexity through mechanical articulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism serves multiple functions: it allows joint movement, maintains bone separation during motion, and accommodates varying degrees of flexion and extension. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, managing overall device complexity while preserving ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a pair of engaging members to engage a first and second portion of a body toward an upper and lower portion of a neck, and a plurality of assemblies connecting the first engaging member and the second engaging member to maintain a distance between bones of a body portion comprising an area of the neck, wherein the body portion resides between the first and second portions, and wherein each assembly comprises a plurality of rods coupling the first engaging member and the second engaging member, and a coupling tube with a first rod of the plurality of rods secured to a proximal end and a second rod of the plurality of rods secured to a distal end, wherein rotation of the coupling tube adjusts a gap between the first and second rods in the coupling tube to control the distance between the bones of the body portion.