Elastic-Nonelastic Joint Bandage for Stable Support and Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wrist and ankle bandages often compromise between stabilization and freedom of movement, with stabilizing bars being a nuisance during activities, and there is a need for a bandage that provides high stabilization with minimal restriction.
Innovation Solution
A joint bandage design featuring a strap element with elastic and non-elastic sections, allowing it to wrap around the joint in a specific pattern without a stabilizing bar, providing stabilization through counterforce generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stabilizing bar is added to the bandage, then joint stabilization is improved, but freedom of movement deteriorates and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the stabilizing bar component entirely from the bandage design. Instead, it uses a strap element with alternating elastic and non-elastic sections that wraps around the joint to provide stabilization through its structural design and material properties, eliminating the need for rigid stabilizing bars while maintaining joint support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters of the strap element by using alternating elastic and non-elastic sections. This allows the bandage to adapt its properties dynamically - the elastic sections allow movement while the non-elastic sections provide stabilization, achieving both joint support and freedom of movement without rigid components.
2Reliability
If a stabilizing bar is added to the bandage, then joint stabilization is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the stabilizing bar component from the bandage design, reducing device complexity. The stabilization function is achieved instead through the strap element's alternating elastic and non-elastic sections, which provide structural support without requiring additional rigid components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the stabilization function into the strap element itself by incorporating alternating elastic and non-elastic sections. This integration eliminates the need for separate stabilizing bars, combining multiple functions into a single component and simplifying the overall device structure.
3Device complexity
If a short compression strap is used, then the bandage is simpler, but joint stabilization is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters of the strap element by using alternating elastic and non-elastic sections. This allows a single strap element to provide both compression and stabilization functions, achieving effective joint support without requiring multiple components or increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by having different sections of the strap element with different properties - elastic sections for flexibility and comfort, and non-elastic sections for stabilization. This localized differentiation allows the single strap element to perform multiple functions effectively, providing adequate joint stabilization without increasing overall device complexity.
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 strap element design achieves effective joint stabilization while allowing a high degree of movement freedom, eliminating the need for a stabilizing bar and ensuring good manageability.
Implementation Method 1
the strap element has at least two elastic sections and at least one non-elastic section between the two elastic sections
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a joint bandage for a wrist or an ankle with a strap element, wherein the strap element has at least two elastic sections and at least one non-elastic section between the two elastic sections, wherein the second end of the strap element is reversibly fastenable to the strap element or to a tube element and/or wherein the strap element is at least 40 cm long.