Guide Hook Device Tortuous Channel Elastic Band Attachment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional exercise devices and guide/hook devices often experience accidental removal of elastic bands, which compromises their effectiveness and convenience.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a guide/hook device with a tortuous member and a lower structure that includes securement means to prevent accidental loosening or removal, featuring a V-shaped flange structure and a tortuous channel to securely affix the elastic member to the device or a squeezable ball, preventing the elastic member from being accidentally removed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional exercise devices use simple attachment mechanisms, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to accidental removal of elastic bands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a tortuous (curved) channel instead of a straight attachment path. The elastic band follows a curved trajectory through the guide/hook device, creating multiple contact points and friction zones that prevent accidental removal while maintaining ease of insertion. The curved path increases the complexity of removal without significantly complicating the attachment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide/hook device is divided into distinct functional components: an upper structure with a tortuous member forming a curved channel, a lower structure with securement means, and intermediate guide elements. This segmentation allows each component to contribute specifically to either ease of attachment or security of attachment, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
2Reliability
If the guide/hook device uses a tortuous channel and securement means, then reliability is improved by preventing accidental removal, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the guide function and hook function into a single integrated guide/hook device structure. The tortuous channel and securement means are combined in one component that attaches to the exercise device body, reducing the number of separate parts while maintaining the reliability benefits of the complex attachment path.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide/hook device serves multiple functions simultaneously: it guides the elastic band through a tortuous path for secure attachment, provides structural support, and acts as an anchor point. This multi-functionality justifies the increased structural complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single component.
3Reliability
If the elastic member is securely affixed with multiple structures, then reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide/hook device is pre-formed with its tortuous channel and securement features integrated into the structure before final assembly. This preliminary formation of the complex geometry allows for more efficient manufacturing, as the tortuous shape is created in one operation rather than requiring multiple assembly steps to achieve the same securement function.
Data Source
AI summary
An exercise device having an elastic band surrounding the periphery of a body, and permits the user to move fingers against the tension of the elastic band. A guide/hook device prevents accidental separation of the guide/hook device from the body, and prevents accidental separation of the elastic band from the guide/hook device. A method of making and using the exercise device is also provided.