Motor-Driven Calf Lengthening Apparatus for Chronic Muscle Fatigue
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals, particularly those working standing for long periods or wearing high heels, experience chronic muscle fatigue, tension, and pain due to repetitive strain injuries that lead to muscle shortening and poor blood circulation, with existing remedies like massages and hot towels failing to address the fundamental issue of muscle lengthening.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a lower leg fixing part, a foot accommodating part with a pressure detecting unit, a rotation driving unit, and a controller that automatically lengthens the calf muscle by rotating the foot accommodating part in response to pressure, allowing for controlled dorsiflexion and muscle relaxation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the calf muscle is repetitively used to maintain posture, then posture maintenance is improved, but muscle length is reduced and fatigue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device dynamically adjusts the dorsiflexion angle through motor-driven rotation of the foot accommodating part, transitioning between fixed posture maintenance and active muscle lengthening modes to resolve the contradiction between posture maintenance and muscle length preservation
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the mechanical parameter of ankle joint angle (dorsiflexion angle) to lengthen the calf muscle while maintaining posture, using controllable rotation within a specific angle range to achieve muscle relaxation without compromising posture stability
2Ease of operation
If manual massage is applied to relax calf muscle, then muscle fatigue is reduced, but the fundamental muscle shortening problem is not solved
Solution Approach 1:
The device replaces manual massage mechanics with an automated motor-driven rotation system that mechanically lengthens the calf muscle through controlled dorsiflexion, fundamentally solving the muscle shortening problem rather than merely providing temporary relaxation
3Length of moving object
If the foot accommodating part is rotated to lengthen calf muscle, then muscle length is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The foot accommodating part serves multiple functions: it supports the user's foot, enables controlled rotation for muscle lengthening, and integrates with the lower leg fixing part to provide stable positioning, reducing the need for separate components and thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
4Extent of automation
If pressure detecting unit is added to control rotation, then automation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure detecting unit enables the device to automatically detect user pressure and trigger appropriate rotation without requiring external control inputs, allowing the system to self-regulate and provide automated muscle lengthening while keeping the control logic simple and intuitive
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an apparatus for automatically lengthening a calf muscle in order to relax fatigue and tension of a calf muscle of a worker who works standing up for a long time or a woman wearing high heels. Accordingly, a calf muscle can be naturally relaxed itself by lengthening a length of the calf muscle that is tense by a repetitive and continuous damage, so that it is possible to reduce a chronic muscle unbalance and a muscular pain of a worker who works standing up for a long time or a young woman wearing high heels and it is possible to improve quality of life and work efficiency in an industrial site.