Insertion Tool for Clothing Insert Pads
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for inserting, removing, and adjusting contoured insert pads in women's clothing are inefficient and difficult due to the small and remotely located access hole, requiring time-consuming and challenging manual manipulation by feel alone, especially since many pads are orientation-specific.
Innovation Solution
A specially designed tool similar to surgical forceps with toothed and smooth jaws allows for efficient insertion, removal, and adjustment of insert pads by aligning, folding, and clamping the pads before inserting them through a small opening, facilitating accurate and timely placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual manipulation by feel alone is used to insert pads through a small access hole, then no special tool is needed, but the process becomes time-consuming and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A specialized insertion tool acts as an intermediary device between the user and the insert pad. The tool includes a holder that receives the pad and a manipulator with a long shaft that extends through the small access hole to reach and position the pad at the breast cup. This intermediary tool enables precise manipulation that would be impossible with fingers alone through the constrained access hole.
Solution Approach 2:
The manipulator uses a long shaft dimension to overcome the spatial constraint of the small access hole. By extending the manipulation capability in the length dimension, the tool can reach the pad positioning location inside the breast cup through the limited opening, effectively adding a dimensional advantage to solve the access problem.
2Device complexity
If manual manipulation by feel alone is used to align and flatten pads, then no special tool is needed, but the process becomes difficult and imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator serves as an intermediary that provides visual and mechanical guidance for precise pad alignment. The long shaft allows the user to see and control the pad positioning process, ensuring accurate orientation and flattening against the breast cup, which would be impossible to achieve by feel alone through a small opening.
3Shape
If the access hole is kept small for clothing aesthetics, then the clothing appearance is improved, but insertion and adjustment of pads becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator's long shaft provides the necessary reach through the small aesthetic access hole. By utilizing the length dimension, the tool can penetrate the constrained opening and perform insertion and adjustment operations deep inside the breast cup without requiring a larger opening that would compromise clothing aesthetics.
Solution Approach 2:
The specialized tool acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the small access hole and the pad positioning requirements. It enables full insertion and adjustment functionality through the minimally invasive opening, maintaining both aesthetic appearance and operational ease.
4Manufacturing precision
If pads are made orientation-specific for better fit, then the fit quality is improved, but insertion becomes more difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The holder and manipulator combination serves as an intermediary system that provides visual feedback and mechanical control during insertion. This allows the user to see the pad orientation in real-time and make precise adjustments to achieve the correct orientation-specific fit, significantly reducing the time and difficulty compared to insertion by feel alone.
Data Source
AI summary
Insert pads used in women's clothing can be difficult to insert, remove, or adjust. The application includes independent methods for each of these scenarios, which are significant improvements over the state-of-the art method of manually massaging into place. By using a specially designed tool with the method laid out herein, it is possible to accomplish these tasks with great effectiveness and in much less time than before.