Ergonomic Surgical Glove Flex Angles Fatigue Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard surgical gloves are designed in a straight shape, which does not match the natural relaxed position of the hand, leading to biasing forces that cause fatigue in medical professionals during long procedures, and lack flexibility to accommodate the hand's natural movement and expansion.
Innovation Solution
The surgical glove features longitudinal ribs, varying thicknesses, and flex angles to reduce biasing forces, allowing for easier movement and expansion, with patterns and materials that provide extra material at flexed joints and areas to minimize resistance during hand movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standard surgical gloves are formed in a straight position, then the glove structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the glove creates biasing forces that cause fatigue in medical professionals during long procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The glove is pre-formed with flex angles at the finger joints during manufacturing, so that when worn, the glove already matches the natural relaxed position of the hand. This preliminary shaping eliminates the need for the hand to overcome biasing forces during flexion, reducing fatigue during long procedures while maintaining manufacturability through specialized molding processes
2Reliability
If surgical gloves are formed tightly to fit straight fingers, then the glove provides good protection and snug fit, but the glove restricts digital expansion when fingers are flexed
Solution Approach 1:
The glove incorporates dynamic design elements including flex angles at the joints and variable thickness construction. The glove material is thinner at the joints to allow expansion during flexion, while maintaining adequate thickness in other areas for protection. This dynamic adaptation allows the glove to maintain snug fit and protection in the extended position while accommodating digital expansion when fingers are flexed
3Reliability
If two gloves are placed on the hand to increase protection, then the protection level increases, but the biasing force and fatigue increase even more
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-formed flex angles in the glove design ensure that even when wearing double gloves, the combined structure matches the natural hand position. This preliminary configuration reduces the cumulative biasing forces that would otherwise be significant with double gloves, maintaining ease of operation while providing enhanced protection
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 design reduces flex load by approximately 35% and accommodates the hand's natural range of motion, minimizing fatigue and maintaining a snug fit throughout procedures.
Implementation Method 1
the material of the glove biases the fingers away from the normal, relaxed position to the less natural straight position
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a surgical glove that alleviates the biasing force associated with bending or abducting the hand and fingers when wearing a surgical glove.