Equine Fetlock Support Device Using Dilatant Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices fail to effectively prevent injuries to equine lower limb joints, particularly the fetlock, from repetitive loading, overexertion, and hyperextension, as they either provide insufficient support or interfere with normal joint motion.
Innovation Solution
A fetlock-supporting device with tensile members extending from a proximal cuff to a distal cuff, using dilatant materials that stiffen in response to rapid motion or hyperextension, and a non-linear increase in resistance to prevent excessive joint extension and angular velocity, while maintaining normal joint function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional protective devices are used to support the fetlock joint, then additional tensile support is provided, but the devices either provide insufficient support or interfere with normal joint motion
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs elastic members that dynamically adjust their stiffness based on the loading conditions. During normal joint motion, the elastic members remain flexible to allow full range of motion. When excessive force or hyperextension occurs, the elastic members stiffen to provide protective support, thus resolving the contradiction between providing strength and maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic members change their mechanical parameters (stiffness, elasticity) in response to applied loads. This parameter change allows the device to adapt between two states: a compliant state during normal motion that preserves joint flexibility, and a rigid state during excessive loading that provides protective support, thereby resolving the technical contradiction.
2Strength
If tight cuffs are used to anchor tensile members effectively, then support effectiveness is improved, but blood circulation is reduced and pain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates padded cuffs that cushion the interface between the anchoring mechanism and the horse's limb. This beforehand cushioning allows the cuffs to be tight enough to effectively anchor the tensile members and provide support, while the padding prevents harmful effects such as blood circulation restriction and pain, thus resolving the technical contradiction.
3Reliability
If rigid support structures are used to prevent hyperextension, then injury prevention is improved, but normal joint function is interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic members provide dynamic support that adapts to the joint's movement. During normal function, the members remain flexible, allowing full range of motion and maintaining joint adaptability. When hyperextension or excessive motion occurs, the members become rigid through elastic deformation, providing reliable injury prevention. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.
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 device effectively reduces the risk of injury by limiting fetlock extension and angular velocity, providing additional support to the SDFT, DDFT, and SL, and distributing ground reaction forces, thereby minimizing the risk of micro- and macro-damage during athletic activities.
Implementation Method 1
dilatant materials that stiffen in response to rapid motion or hyperextension
Implementation Method 2
tensile members extending from a proximal cuff to a distal cuff, using dilatant materials that stiffen in response to rapid motion or hyperextension
Data Source
AI summary
A joint-supporting device comprises tensile members extending from above the joint to below it, supplementing the tensile characteristics of the joint's tendons, ligaments, and other structure. The tension members extend between a proximal cuff above the joint to a distal cuff below it, and pass over a pad at the apex of the joint, redirecting the tension members. In order that the cuffs are supported in position so that the tension members can effectively support the joint, they are spaced away from the joint by compression members bearing on proximal and distal bolsters, in turn located positively by the boney structure of the joint.In order that the structure of the invention not interfere overly with the normal function of the joint, the device employs dilatant materials having the property of varying their hardness upon motion. The dilatant material is disposed so as to limit the relative angular velocity of the members of the joint. The dilatant material can be disposed in pad form, arranged to be compressed by the tensile members as the joint is extended, and/or as the core of a composite tensile member, sheathed in a cover woven of high tensile strength filaments or yarns.