Embedded Harness Pants for Fall Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobility medical devices and harnesses are ineffective in addressing the stigma surrounding assistive technology and are cumbersome, uncomfortable, and impractical for daily use due to their bulkiness and restrictive nature.
Innovation Solution
A wearable harness embedded into pants or shorts that allows for discreet stabilization and easy connection to mobility aid devices, featuring a belt with adjustable buckle, connecting straps, and load-bearing straps positioned at angles for optimal support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mobility harnesses are used, then fall prevention capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in putting on and taking off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the harness with the pants by embedding the harness straps and connection points directly into the garment structure. The harness is integrated into the pants fabric and seams, allowing the user to wear the harness simply by putting on the pants, eliminating the need to separately don a harness. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining fall prevention capability while dramatically improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pants serve multiple functions: they provide normal clothing coverage and simultaneously serve as the harness structure for fall prevention. The connection points are built into the pants, allowing the same garment to function both as apparel and as a mobility safety device. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for separate harness application.
2Reliability
If traditional mobility harnesses are used, then fall prevention capability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple separate components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple components (harness straps, connection points, and pants) into a single integrated garment. The harness is constructed from the pants fabric and structure itself, eliminating the need for separate harness components. This reduces device complexity while maintaining fall prevention capability through the unified design.
3Reliability
If traditional mobility harnesses are used, then fall prevention capability is improved, but ease of operation worsens due to restrictive movement
Solution Approach 1:
The harness structure is strategically positioned within the pants at specific locations (waistband, thigh areas) where it provides support without restricting overall movement. The connection points are placed to optimize fall prevention while maintaining natural range of motion. This localized positioning resolves the contradiction by providing fall protection without compromising movement freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The harness straps are designed with flexibility and adjustability, allowing them to move dynamically with the user's body during various activities. The integration into the pants allows the harness to conform to body movements rather than restricting them, resolving the contradiction between fall prevention and movement freedom.
4Reliability
If traditional mobility harnesses are used, then fall prevention capability is improved, but appearance deteriorates due to visible medical equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The harness is merged with the pants so that the harness straps and connection points are concealed within the garment structure. The harness components are positioned on the interior of the pants or hidden within seams and fabric layers, making them invisible when the pants are worn normally. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining fall prevention capability while achieving a normal, non-medical appearance.
5Reliability
If traditional mobility harnesses are used, then fall prevention capability is improved, but comfort deteriorates due to bulkiness
Solution Approach 1:
The harness is constructed using thin, flexible fabric materials that are integrated into the pants. Instead of bulky rigid structures, the harness uses flexible straps and soft connection points that conform to the body. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining fall prevention capability while eliminating bulkiness and improving comfort for all-day wear.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and devices are disclosed for mobility assistance of users with instability or reduced mobility when walking. The mobility device can be a garment (e.g., pants, shorts) that includes a wearable harness embedded or otherwise associated with the garment in a manner that allows the garment to be worn without the harness being outwardly noticeable. The garment can be worn in conjunction with being connected to a walker or other mobility aid vehicle, as well as in everyday use. The harness associated with the garment provides support for the user while a majority of the harness is invisible from outside the garment. A connector can be utilized in conjunction with the same to help manage the connection between the harness and the mobility aid vehicle. The connector can include the ability to mitigate or stop a fall in response to parameters detected by sensors associated with the garment or system.