Hinge Locking Mechanism for Knee Pressure Relief in Climbing Harnesses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Climbers of wooden structures, such as arborists and electrical line technicians, face pressure on their knees during work due to the lack of effective knee support in existing leg harnesses, which can compromise safety and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A leg harness and locking mechanism device that includes a hinge assembly with a locking mechanism, allowing the harness to be locked in a straight position to prevent pivoting or folding at the knee, thereby relieving pressure on the knees, and can be selectively unlocked for folding or pivoting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a leg harness is designed to be flexible and allow knee pivoting for comfort, then knee pressure is reduced, but the harness cannot maintain a stable straight position when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The harness incorporates a dynamic hinge mechanism that can transition between locked and unlocked states. When locked, the hinge maintains a stable straight position; when unlocked, it allows knee pivoting for flexibility. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by providing both stability and flexibility as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The harness is divided into separable components including the hinge assembly, locking mechanism, and harness body. This segmentation allows the hinge to be independently controlled and locked, enabling the harness to switch between stable and flexible states without compromising the overall structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a locking mechanism is added to maintain harness position, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-operating through a simple user action (pressing a button or lever). The mechanism automatically engages and disengages the hinge locking arm without requiring complex controls or multiple components, thus maintaining simplicity while providing stable positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted as a separate, independent mechanism that can be added to the hinge assembly without complicating the rest of the harness. The locking arm and associated components are designed as discrete elements that integrate cleanly into the overall structure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the hinge is locked in a straight position to relieve knee pressure, then knee comfort is improved, but the harness cannot facilitate knee folding when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism provides dynamic adaptability by allowing the user to switch between locked (straight position for comfort) and unlocked (flexible position for folding) states. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the harness to adapt to different operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism changes the physical parameter of knee angle flexibility based on operational needs. When locked, the knee angle is fixed in a straight position to reduce pressure; when unlocked, the angle can vary to facilitate folding. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between comfort and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A leg harness and locking mechanism device, which can be attached to a leg of a user, such as a climber of a wooden structure, and locked at one or both of the user's knees to relieve pressure on the knee or knees during work, may include at least one harness assembly. The harness assembly may be deployed on a leg of a user. The harness assembly may include a hinge which facilitates pivoting or folding of the assembly at the corresponding knee of the user. The harness assembly may have a hinge locking mechanism which is selectively operable to lock the hinge and prevent the harness assembly from pivoting or folding at the knee of the user, thereby relieving pressure on the user's knee or knees. The hinge locking mechanism may further be operable to unlock the hinge and facilitate folding of the harness assembly at the knee.