Hinged Knee Protection Guards for Continuous Joint Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional knee pads fail to provide comprehensive protection as the hard surface only covers the part behind it, leaving the upper leg exposed and restricting natural movement due to straps that prevent the protective surface from staying in place during activities like kneeling.
Innovation Solution
A knee protection system with a lower guard pivotally attached to an upper guard via hinges, allowing the upper guard to pivot and maintain protection over the knee, while the lower guard remains fixed, using a cushion ring and bladder for impact absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hard protective surface is attached to the knee with straps or bands, then protection is provided to the knee area, but natural movement is restricted and the protective surface fails to remain in place
Solution Approach 1:
The knee pad system transitions from a static design to a dynamic one by allowing the protective surface to move with the knee joint. The system comprises a lower pad portion attached to the lower leg and an upper pad portion that can pivot relative to the lower pad portion, enabling the protective surface to dynamically follow knee movement while maintaining coverage.
2Reliability
If a linear hard surface is used for protection, then the area directly behind it is protected, but the upper leg area becomes exposed and susceptible to injury
Solution Approach 1:
The knee pad is divided into multiple segments: a lower pad portion attached to the lower leg and an upper pad portion that extends upward to protect the upper leg area. This segmentation allows each portion to serve its specific protective function while working together to provide comprehensive coverage of both the knee and upper leg regions.
Data Source
AI summary
A knee protection system has a lower guard that is strapped to the lower leg below the knee joint. An upper guard is attached to the lower guard by hinges so that when the knee bends the lower guard goes with it and the upper guard pivots to remain over the kneecap or thereabout.