Elastic Leg Protector with Ankle Openings for Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional leg protectors, such as splints and casts, provide inadequate mobility and convenience for individuals with injured feet or legs, as they often restrict movement and require multiple members for application, making simple walking indoors and outdoors difficult.
Innovation Solution
A leg protector made of elastic material with a bottom plate and protection part that allows for elastic bending deformation, featuring a detachable toe cover and sole system, enabling easy application and removal while providing stable protection for both left and right legs in a single shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional splints or casts are used to firmly fix the foot or leg, then protection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring multiple members and excessive movement limitation
Solution Approach 1:
The leg protector is divided into a bottom plate part and a protection part that can be separately assembled and detached. The bottom plate part supports the foot while the protection part surrounds the lateral and rear surfaces, allowing independent functionality of each segment and simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The single leg protector design serves multiple functions: it protects the injured leg, allows elastic bending deformation for walking, provides detachable toe cover for versatility, and can be applied to both left and right legs through symmetrical design, replacing the need for multiple specialized devices.
2Reliability
If conventional splints or casts are used to firmly fix the foot or leg, then protection reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to excessive movement limitation
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom plate part is designed to elastically bend under walking weight, providing dynamic movement capability while maintaining protection. The opening part at the ankle allows dynamic adjustment and easy application/removal, enabling simple walking and daily activities without excessive movement limitation.
3Ease of operation
If the bottom plate part is designed to elastically bend under walking weight, then ease of operation is improved, but stability deteriorates due to deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom plate part has different structural properties in different regions: the front bottom plate part is designed to elastically bend for ease of operation, while the rear bottom plate part maintains greater stability. The protection part surrounding the lateral and rear surfaces provides localized stability where needed while allowing movement in other areas.
4Ease of operation
If opening parts are provided at both left and right sides around the ankle, then ease of operation is improved for application and removal, but protection reliability may deteriorate due to exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The protection part is segmented with opening parts at the left and right sides around the ankle, allowing the malleolus to be exposed while maintaining protection for other areas. This segmentation enables easy application and removal while preserving protection reliability through the surrounding lateral and rear surface coverage.
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 leg protector allows for comfortable walking and easy detachment, accommodating different leg shapes and sizes, providing excellent protection and mobility for individuals with injuries, enabling daily activities without the need for multiple devices.
Implementation Method 1
the protection part includes an opening part provided at both of left and right sides around an ankle... elastic bending deformation of the bottom plate part is generated due to a walking weight of the wearer
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a leg protector. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, disclosed is a leg protector which can protect a wearer's foot and leg and is made of an elastic material, the leg protector comprising: a bottom plate part for supporting a wearer's foot; and a protection part connected to the upper side of the bottom plate part, extending upward therefrom, and formed to cover at least a part of the side and rear portions of the wearer's foot and leg, wherein the protection part includes, on both the left and right sides of the ankle portion thereof, an opening part through which regions corresponding to the wearer's malleoli are exposed to the outside.