Cervical Collar Cable Adjustment Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cervical collar braces lack an efficient mechanism for infinitely variable adjustment of chin supports, often restricting positioning to discrete steps, which can limit comfort and fit for users with varying neck and head shapes.
Innovation Solution
A cable adjuster system featuring a rotatable wheel, cables, lift effectors, capstans with rotatable pulleys, and optional biasing members, allowing for continuous or discrete adjustment of chin supports relative to the main collar body, enabling precise fitting and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a cable adjuster system with capstans and rotatable pulleys is implemented, then the adjustment of chin supports becomes infinitely variable and smooth, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces capstans with rotatable pulleys as intermediary elements between the cables and chin supports. These capstans act as mediators that convert cable tension into smooth, infinitely variable positional adjustments of the chin supports, resolving the contradiction by adding a specialized intermediate mechanism rather than directly coupling cables to supports.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from discrete adjustment positions to continuous, dynamic adjustment capability. The rotatable capstans enable the chin supports to be positioned at any point within their range of motion, not just at fixed intervals, thereby achieving infinite variability while maintaining mechanical control through the dynamic rotation of the capstan pulleys.
2Ease of operation
If hard stops are used to secure the rotatable wheel in discrete positions, then the positioning is simplified and restricted to discrete steps, but the adaptability for various neck and head shapes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces static, discrete positioning with dynamic, continuous positioning capability. The rotatable capstans allow the chin supports to be adjusted to any position within their range, enabling precise fitting for various neck and head shapes rather than being constrained to predetermined discrete positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism changes the position parameter of the chin supports from discrete values to continuous values. By rotating the capstans, the system can achieve any position within the adjustment range, thereby changing the parameter space from a discrete set of positions to a continuous range, which improves fitting precision for diverse anatomical variations.
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 provides smooth, infinitely variable or discrete adjustment of chin supports, enhancing user comfort and fit by accommodating various neck and head shapes, while maintaining secure positioning.
Implementation Method 1
the one or more capstans comprise one or more rotatable pulleys
Implementation Method 2
the biasing member comprises one or more resilient rubber bands
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A cervical collar brace (10) includes a main body collar (20), a first chin side support (30) pivotally mounted to the main body collar, and a second chin side support (40) pivotally mounted to the main body collar. A cable adjuster (60) adjustably secures the first and second chin side supports to the main body collar and includes a rotatable wheel (70), one or more cables (100, 102), and one or more lift effectors (120, 140) for lifting the chin side supports in response to rotation of the rotatable wheel in a first rotation direction. A chin piece (50) is provided for supporting a wearer's chin.