Collapsible White Cane with Shock-Absorbing Handle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Visually impaired individuals using traditional white canes experience repetitive impact injuries to the hand and wrist due to abrupt obstruction encounters, leading to pain and potential long-term conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis, necessitating a solution to absorb shock and alleviate discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible white cane with a shock-absorbing handle featuring a spring-loaded mechanism and a bungee cord system that allows the handle to retract upon impact, distributing the force and maintaining stability, while also being ergonomically designed for comfort and ease of use, with segments that can be easily assembled and disassembled for storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a traditional rigid white cane is used for mobility, then the user can detect obstacles effectively, but the hand and wrist suffer from repetitive impact injuries and pain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a shock-absorbing mechanism at the handle of the cane. This mechanism includes a spring-loaded plunger system that compresses upon impact, absorbing shock before it reaches the user's hand and wrist. The cushioning is built into the cane structure in advance, preventing impact injuries during normal use while maintaining the cane's rigidity for effective obstacle detection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a shock-absorbing mechanism is added to the cane handle, then impact injury is reduced, but the cane structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the shock-absorbing mechanism into distinct functional components: a plunger, a spring, and a housing. These segmented parts work together within the handle assembly to absorb impact shock. The segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while keeping the overall structure manageable and maintainable, reducing complexity compared to a monolithic shock-absorbing design.
3Ease of operation
If the cane is made collapsible for easier storage and conveyance, then portability is improved, but the structural integrity and shock absorption capability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by designing the cane with collapsible sections that can transition between extended and retracted states. The cane incorporates telescoping segments with locking mechanisms that provide structural integrity when extended for use, yet allow compact folding for storage. This dynamic design enables the cane to adapt its form factor while maintaining sufficient strength and shock absorption capability in both configurations.
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 cane effectively absorbs approximately 80% of the shock upon impact, reducing wrist and hand pain, maintaining sensitivity for obstacle detection, and providing a durable, lightweight, and versatile tool for navigation in various weather conditions, ensuring the cane remains securely attached to the user.
Implementation Method 1
the shock absorbing handle absorbs most of the shock, preventing these types of injuries
Implementation Method 2
the flexibility of the spring within the handle will allow the handle to slide longitudinally, for a short distance, upon the upper segment of the cane, so as to cushion the impact
Implementation Method 3
a bungee cord system that allows the handle to retract upon impact, distributing the force and maintaining stability
Data Source
AI summary
A shock absorbing handle for a white cane for blind people or visually impaired, incorporates resilient members within its handle, primarily in the form of a spring located in the handle region of the cane, in order to cushion the impact when the lower tip of the cane encounters an obstruction. A length of resilient cord, such as a bungee cord, extends from the top of the handle of the cane, to the lower tip of its bottom most segment, so that when the cord is stretched, the various segments can be separated from their connecting ferrules, and contracted into a smaller size for packaging. The various segments can be stretched, through their resilient cord, and secured together, to form the lengthy white cane, having cushioning impact provided within its handle, to relieve stress upon the user, when obstructions are encountered during usage of the cane during its application.