Directional Lock Castor for Stable Gait Training
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of walking products, especially those with disabilities, face difficulty in producing controlled leg movements and maintaining an effective gait pattern due to the challenge of managing the frame and weight shift, leading to potential detrimental physiological effects from uncontrolled or unnatural gait patterns.
Innovation Solution
A castor with a direction lock mechanism that allows swiveling motion in one direction while inhibiting it in others, using a resiliently biased pin and co-operable male and female members to couple the upper and lower parts of the castor body, allowing for restricted movement in pre-defined directions such as forward-backward or side-to-side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the castor body is allowed to swivel freely about the swivel axis, then the ease of operation is improved, but the stability of the gait pattern deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking means transitions between locked and unlocked states dynamically, allowing the castor body to swivel freely when unlocked for ease of operation, and lock in specific orientations when locked to provide stable gait patterns. This dynamic state change enables the system to adapt between mobility and stability requirements during different phases of use.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the locking means is configured to lock the castor body in multiple fixed orientations, then the stability of the gait pattern is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism allows dynamic switching between multiple fixed orientations and free swiveling, enabling the system to provide stable gait patterns when needed while maintaining adaptability to change orientations or directions as required by the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking means serves multiple functions: it can lock the castor body in various fixed orientations to provide stable gait patterns, or remain unlocked to allow free movement and adaptability. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between stability and adaptability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a locking mechanism is added to restrict swivelling motion, then the stability of the gait pattern is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking means is configured to lock automatically based on the swiveling motion of the castor body, eliminating the need for external control mechanisms or complex actuation systems. This self-locking capability provides stable gait patterns while minimizing device complexity.
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
Enables users to train specific muscle groups by restricting movement to pre-defined directions, facilitating the development of natural gait patterns and reducing the need for therapist intervention, thereby improving muscle engagement and reducing physiological risks.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the pin comprises a resiliently biased pin
Data Source
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AI summary
A castor comprising: a castor body for coupling the castor to an apparatus, at least one wheel coupled to the castor body, wherein said wheel is operable to rotate about a wheel axis. The castor body is configured to swivel about a swivel axis which is substantially perpendicular to the wheel axis such as to rotate the orientation of the wheel with respect to the swivel axis. A locking means which is configured to adopt at least first state and a second state. In the first state, the locking means is configured to allow swivelling motion of the castor body about the swivel axis and in the second state the locking means is configured to inhibit the swivelling motion of the castor body about the swivel axis such that the orientation of the castor wheel is locked relative to the swivel axis.