Joint Stabilizer Valve Coupling for Friction-Independent Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing joint stabilization and sports equipment support apparatuses are influenced by frictional forces between bodies, affecting their adaptive behavior and responsiveness to external forces, leading to inconsistent performance.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus decouples the switching behavior between bodies from frictional forces by using a coupling element to control the relative movement based on clamping force and flow forces of the filling medium, independent of friction between the first body and the receptacle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the second body is displaceably received within the passage opening of the first body to form a valve mechanism, then the apparatus achieves consistent and controlled responsiveness to external forces, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second body (valve body) is displaceably received within the passage opening of the first body, creating a nested structure where the valve body moves inside the passage opening. This nesting arrangement allows the valve mechanism to be integrated into the existing body structure without requiring separate housing components, thereby achieving consistent responsiveness while minimizing additional complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The valve seat is integrated into the first body structure, merging the valve control function with the existing body design. This combination eliminates the need for separate valve housing components and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining reliable valve operation for controlling filling medium flow
2Adaptability or versatility
If the coupling element elastically couples the first body and second body, then the apparatus achieves adaptive movement limitation, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling element acts as an intermediary component that elastically couples the first body and second body, mediating the force transmission between them. This elastic coupling allows the valve body to displace relative to the passage opening in response to external forces while maintaining controlled movement, achieving adaptive movement limitation through a single specialized component rather than a complex mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element's elastic properties allow it to change its mechanical parameters (stiffness, displacement) in response to varying external forces. This parameter change capability enables the apparatus to adaptively limit movement across different load conditions without requiring multiple components or complex control mechanisms
3Adaptability or versatility
If the valve mechanism is used to control filling medium flow, then the apparatus achieves precise adaptive behavior, but frictional forces affect performance consistency
Solution Approach 1:
The valve mechanism extracts and isolates the frictional contact to a specific, controlled location at the valve seat within the passage opening. By concentrating the potential frictional interaction at this defined interface rather than across multiple moving surfaces, the system achieves precise adaptive behavior through controlled valve opening/closing while minimizing the overall impact of frictional forces on performance consistency
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
This design ensures consistent and controlled responsiveness to external forces, minimizing the influence of frictional fluctuations, allowing for precise adaptive movement limitation and support.
Implementation Method 1
a flow of the filling medium through the passage opening can be permitted or prevented depending on the valve position
Implementation Method 2
the second body is elastically coupled to the first body via a coupling element
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for stabilizing body joints and/or for supporting sports equipment, comprising: a receptacle, wherein the receptacle is filled with a filling medium, a first body for interacting with the filling medium, wherein the first body is arranged in a displaceable manner in the receptacle, a force transmission body for transmitting an external force to the first body, a second body for interacting with the filling medium, which second body is arranged in a displaceable manner in the receptacle, wherein the second body can be elastically coupled to the first body via a coupling element, wherein at least the first body has at least one passage opening through which the filling medium can flow, wherein the second body is displaceably received within the passage opening of the first body, wherein the first body comprises a valve seat in the region of the passage opening and the second body forms a valve body, so that a flow of the filling medium through the passage opening can be permitted or prevented depending on the valve position.