Forearm-Mounted Paddle With Hinged Blade For Stowage
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Solution Overview
Problem
In water sports, participants face challenges in propelling themselves through the water while maintaining the ability to use their arms for other activities, as traditional paddles interfere with arm movement and require manual handling.
Innovation Solution
A paddle design featuring a blade that can be folded back against the forearm, allowing for paddling in an operating position and stowed position, with a fastener and connector system that enables easy transition between the two, enabling users to retain the paddle on their forearm without obstructing arm movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional paddle is used for propulsion, then propulsion efficiency is improved, but arm mobility is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The paddle blade is made movable relative to the forearm support, allowing it to transition between an extended operating position for propulsion and a retracted stowed position for arm mobility. The connector includes a hinge joint that enables the blade to pivot and be positioned at different angles, making the paddle structure dynamic rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The paddle is divided into separate functional components: a forearm support that remains attached to the user's arm, a connector that links the support to the blade, and the blade itself. This segmentation allows the blade to be moved independently from the forearm support, enabling propulsion when needed while allowing the blade to be stowed when arm mobility is required.
2Power
If the paddle blade is extended for paddling, then propulsion capability is improved, but the paddle occupies more space and interferes with other arm activities
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is configured to be movable between an extended position that maximizes propulsion surface area and a retracted position that minimizes space occupation. The hinge connector enables the blade to be folded back against the forearm support, reducing the overall envelope of the paddle when propulsion is not needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade can be positioned not only in extension but also at various angles relative to the forearm support through the hinge joint. This allows the blade to be oriented in different dimensional configurations - extended forward for propulsion, or folded back and angled along the forearm for compact storage, effectively utilizing three-dimensional space.
Data Source
AI summary
A paddle for water sports is provided that allows a user to more effectively propel themselves through the water. The paddle comprises a blade, a fastener for fastening the paddle to a user's forearm, a gripping portion mounted to the blade and a connector extending from the fastener to the paddle, wherein the connector is bendable to enable the blade to be moved between an operating position and a stowed position.