Posterior Knee Brace Hinge Mechanism for Dynamic Stabilization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional knee braces are cumbersome, heavy, and lack dynamic response, often restricting movement and failing to provide adequate stability and selective corrective action, which hinders natural walking and rehabilitation.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight knee brace with a posterior hinge device and ventilated structure, featuring adjustable frame members and a silicone-coated padding system for stability and comfort, allowing for selective locking and rotation within a predetermined range to facilitate natural movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional knee braces use complex hinge mechanisms and heavy materials to provide stability, then knee stabilization is improved, but the brace becomes heavy, bulky, and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The brace is divided into separate functional components: a lightweight frame structure, modular hinge mechanisms, and detachable straps. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, using minimal material where possible while concentrating strength where needed, thereby reducing overall weight while maintaining stabilization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The brace employs varying material densities and structural thicknesses at different locations. Critical load-bearing areas use stronger, slightly heavier materials, while non-critical areas use lightweight materials. This local differentiation provides adequate stabilization without unnecessary weight throughout the entire brace.
2Reliability
If conventional knee braces use complex hinge mechanisms to provide stability, then knee stabilization is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex hinge mechanisms are extracted as separate, standardized modules that can be independently analyzed and optimized. This extraction simplifies the overall design by breaking down the complex stabilization function into manageable components with well-defined interfaces, reducing the cognitive and design complexity of the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanisms are designed to provide dynamic rather than static stabilization. The hinges allow controlled movement within specific ranges while automatically providing corrective forces, replacing complex multi-component mechanical linkages with simpler, dynamically-responsive elements that adapt to user movement.
3Reliability
If conventional knee braces continuously restrain movement to provide stability, then knee stabilization is improved, but natural walking and rehabilitation are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The brace transitions from static continuous restraint to dynamic selective stabilization. The hinge mechanisms and adjustable components allow the brace to adapt its level of restraint based on the user's movement phase, providing stability when needed while permitting natural movement during safe phases of the gait cycle, thereby facilitating rehabilitation.
Solution Approach 2:
The brace provides stabilization in a periodic manner synchronized with the natural gait cycle. During phases where knee stability is critical (such as weight-bearing), the brace engages more firmly, while during swing phases or other safe periods, the brace allows greater freedom of movement, creating a rhythm of support and freedom that mimics natural movement patterns.
4Reliability
If conventional knee braces use bulky materials and structures to provide stability, then knee stabilization is improved, but the brace becomes hot and uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The brace incorporates porous or perforated materials in non-structural areas, allowing air circulation between the brace and the user's skin. This porosity provides thermal ventilation that reduces heat buildup and discomfort while maintaining the structural integrity of the stabilization components through strategic material placement.
Data Source
AI summary
A knee brace adapted for placement over at least a posterior side of a leg and comprising a first posterior frame member, a second posterior frame member connected to first frame member, and a posterior resilient hinge device located at or near a first end portion of the first frame member. The hinge device is arranged to urge the first and second frame members into a predetermined alignment. The hinge device can be arranged for selectively locking the second frame member at an angle relative to the first frame member, and permitting rotation of the second frame member relative to first frame member within a range of predetermined angles.