Cane with Wide Base for Safe Object Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elderly or infirm individuals face a high risk of falls when attempting to retrieve objects from the ground, which can lead to injuries such as broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and other ailments due to mobility issues and the need to bend over.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a walking device with a base and handle designed to function as a cane, where the base has a larger diameter than the shaft, allowing for easy retrieval without bending, and magnetic retrievers with adjustable telescoping arms or retractable reels to attract metallic features on objects, facilitating safe retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an elderly or infirm individual bends over to retrieve an object from the ground, then the object can be retrieved, but the risk of falls and injuries increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a magnetic retriever as an intermediary tool between the user and the object. The retriever includes a magnet that attracts metallic objects, allowing the user to pull objects toward them without bending over. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for direct physical contact and bending, thereby resolving the contradiction between easy object retrieval and fall risk reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of bending and reaching with a magnetic field-based retrieval system. Instead of using muscular force to bend and grasp objects, the user employs magnetic attraction to pull objects toward them. This substitution of mechanical bending with magnetic force directly addresses the contradiction by maintaining retrieval capability while eliminating the harmful bending motion
2Ease of operation
If a cane has a small base diameter, then it is easier to maneuver and store, but it provides insufficient leverage for users to push down with their foot to raise the handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the cane shaft telescopic rather than fixed. The shaft can extend when the user pushes down on the base with their foot, providing the necessary leverage to raise the handle to a graspable height. The shaft then collapses back to a compact size when not in use. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between needing a large base for leverage and needing a compact form for maneuverability
3Adaptability or versatility
If a telescoping arm is extended to increase distance between handle and magnet, then retrieval range is improved, but structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a telescoping arm that can dynamically adjust its length. The arm extends to provide greater retrieval range when needed, and collapses to a shorter, more stable configuration when not in use or during transport. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction between retrieval range and structural stability by providing both extremes at different times
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 risk of falls and associated injuries by enabling objects to be retrieved without bending, thereby minimizing the likelihood of painful injuries and improving mobility for elderly or infirm individuals.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet configured to attract the metallic feature
Data Source
AI summary
A system for reducing falls includes a base having a polyhedron shape with: a first face configured to rest on a flat surface, a second face spaced apart from and parallel to the first face, and having a base diameter, and at least three sides extending between the first face and the second face. The system further includes a handle configured for gripping, and a shaft coupled to and extending between the handle and the second face of the base, having a shaft diameter, and extending outward from the base in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the second face. The base diameter is at least twice as large as the shaft diameter such that pressure applied to the second face of the base by a foot causes the handle to raise from a ground surface, and the base, handle, and shaft together function as a cane.