Joint Stabilizer Valve Overlap for Faster Hydraulic Locking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for stabilizing body joints or supporting sports equipment with adaptive movement restriction fail to provide quick reaction times and consistent behavior due to incomplete closure of the passage opening, leading to irregularities in resistance and movement control.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a second body with a projection that overlaps the first body in the relative displacement direction, along with a preloaded elastic coupling element, to ensure complete closure of the passage opening and guide the first body, thereby enhancing reaction time and reproducibility by reducing the relative displacement distance and increasing the reaction threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the passage opening is not completely closed, then the device allows some movement freedom, but the reaction time is delayed and behavior becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The second body is pre-positioned to overlap the first body in the relative displacement direction before any external force is applied. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when unphysiological forces occur, the passage opening can be immediately and completely closed without delay, achieving both quick reaction time and consistent behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The second body acts as an intermediary element between the first body and the passage opening. By positioning the second body to overlap the first body, it directly controls the closure of the passage opening, ensuring complete and rapid closure that eliminates the inconsistency and delay in previous designs.
2Loss of time
If the relative displacement distance is reduced, then the reaction time is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reducing the travel distance of the first body in the traditional linear direction, the solution introduces a second body that overlaps the first body in the relative displacement direction. This dimensional approach allows the passage opening to be completely closed by the overlapping second body without requiring the first body to travel a shorter distance, thus reducing reaction time without significantly increasing structural complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the hydraulic diameter is increased, then the movement freedom for physiological forces is improved, but the resistance to unphysiological forces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device dynamically adjusts its hydraulic characteristics based on the applied force. During physiological movements, the larger hydraulic diameter allows free movement. When unphysiological forces are detected, the second body moves to completely close the passage opening, instantly changing the hydraulic diameter to zero and providing maximum resistance. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between movement freedom and force resistance.
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 configuration ensures consistent behavior by ensuring complete closure of the passage opening, reducing reaction time, and improving the device's ability to counteract external forces effectively, providing a uniform and efficient resistance mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
The flow velocity of the filling medium significantly depends on the cross-sectional area perpendicular to a relative displacement direction of the receptacle and of the pull-out body. This cross-sectional area, which is available for the flow of the filling medium, is also referred to as the hydraulic diameter and is ultimately crucial for the reactive behavior of the device
Implementation Method 2
The second body is elastically coupled to the first body by way of a coupling element
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an apparatus for stabilizing body joints and/or for supporting items of 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 displaceably arranged 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 is displaceably arranged in the receptacle, wherein the second body is elastically coupled to the first body via a coupling element, wherein the second body and/or the first body has at least one passage opening, through which the filling medium can flow, and wherein the first body forms a valve body and the second body forms a valve seat, such that a flow of the filling medium through the passage opening can be permitted or inhibited as a function of the valve position, wherein, in a displacement direction relative to the first body, the second body overlaps therewith.