Joint Stabilizer With Lever Damping in Tight Installation Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing movement-stabilizing devices for human body joints and sports appliances face challenges in scaling their size to accommodate different biomechanical degrees of freedom and flexibility requirements, often failing to provide sufficient resistance in limited installation spaces.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a receptacle filled with a filling medium and an interaction element that interacts with a force transmission element, utilizing a lever mechanism to provide speed-dependent resistance, decoupling the absolute size of the relative movement from the device's size, allowing for versatile application across various joints and sports appliances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the device is designed to provide speed-dependent resistance for stabilizing movements, then the stabilization effect is improved, but the device size increases making it difficult to fit in limited installation spaces such as shoe soles
Solution Approach 1:
The interaction element is nested within the receptacle, with the piston moving inside the fluid-filled chamber. This nesting allows the stabilizing mechanism to be compact while maintaining its functional volume for fluid displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a lever mechanism (force transmission element) that converts small linear movements in one dimension into amplified movements in another dimension. The pivot point allows the interaction element to move a short distance within the receptacle while the force transmission element provides leveraged movement for stabilization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the device is scaled down to fit limited installation spaces, then the installation flexibility is improved, but the resistance effect is reduced making it insufficient for stabilizing larger forces
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses a dynamic fluid filling medium whose resistance properties change based on the speed of piston movement. During rapid non-physiological movements, the fluid provides high resistance. During slow physiological movements, the fluid allows easy movement, thus adapting the force effect to the movement conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever mechanism amplifies the resistance effect by converting small displacements within the compact receptacle into larger force moments. The force transmission element acts as a lever arm, multiplying the resistance force generated by the small-volume fluid displacement.
3Reliability
If the device uses a lever mechanism to amplify resistance, then the stabilization effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force transmission element serves multiple functions: it acts as a lever arm for amplifying resistance, as a pivot mechanism for rotational movement, and as a force transmission path from the interaction element to the external structure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the piston, fluid chamber, and lever mechanism into an integrated receptacle assembly. The interaction element, force transmission element, and receptacle form a unified structure where the lever mechanism is inherent to the assembly rather than a separate added component.
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 device effectively stabilizes movements by generating a speed-dependent resistance, damping non-physiological movements, and adapting to different biomechanical demands, enhancing safety and flexibility across a wide range of applications.
Implementation Method 1
the receptacle is filled with a filling medium... the part of the interaction element that is located in the receptacle is in contact with the filling medium
Implementation Method 2
the filling medium has material properties that are speed-dependent or impulse-dependent, for example shear-thickening properties
Implementation Method 3
A device comprising a receptacle filled with a filling medium and an interaction element that interacts with a force transmission element, utilizing a lever mechanism to provide speed-dependent resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A device for stabilizing movements of two parts of a human body region and/or of a sports appliance which are movable relative to each other is provided, the device comprising a receptacle, which is fixable on a first part of a human body region and/or of a sports appliance, wherein the receptacle is filled with a filling medium, and wherein the receptacle comprises a receptacle opening; an interaction element fixable on a second part of the same human body region and/or of the same sports appliance, which is at least partially accommodated displaceably in the receptacle and extends through the receptacle opening, wherein the part of the interaction element that is located in the receptacle is in contact with the filling medium.