Molded Knee Pad Frame with Sliding Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing professional knee pads with support frames are costly to manufacture and lack adaptability to individual leg lengths and widths, while also requiring improvements in strength, rigidity, and durability for extended use.
Innovation Solution
A molded plastic support frame comprising an upper and lower shin plate with a coupling member, featuring reinforcing ribs and grooves, and a two-point attachment mechanism using a thermoplastic cuff with live hinges for secure fitting, allowing for customizable length and width adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional support frames are used, then strength and durability are provided, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame is divided into three separate molded components (upper support, lower support, coupling member) that can be manufactured independently using injection molding, then assembled together. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost compared to a monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame components are made from composite plastic materials with embedded reinforcing ribs and grooves that provide structural strength comparable to metal frames. The combination of molded plastic with integrated reinforcement features creates a cost-effective alternative to traditional metal construction while maintaining the required strength and durability.
2Ease of manufacture
If fixed-size support frames are manufactured, then production is simplified, but adaptability to individual users is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member incorporates a sliding mechanism that allows the lower support to move along the upper support, enabling dynamic adjustment of the frame's length. This sliding coupling allows the same molded components to accommodate varying leg lengths and knee widths of different users while maintaining a simple molded construction process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are used, then adaptability is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The upper support, lower support, and coupling member are designed as integrated molded components with built-in attachment features. The coupling member combines the coupling function with attachment means for securing the knee pad, merging multiple functions into a single component. This reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies assembly compared to using multiple unrelated components.
4Strength
If reinforcement ribs and grooves are added to molded components, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing ribs and grooves are built into the molded components during the injection molding process itself, rather than being added as separate reinforcement elements afterward. This preliminary action of incorporating reinforcements during manufacturing creates the necessary structural integrity while avoiding the complexity of post-manufacturing reinforcement additions.
Data Source
AI summary
A support frame for a knee pad has three major components that interlock with each other to form a rigid and strong frame capable of supporting the weight of a person who is working on knees. The three components are molded of a rigid plastic material. The upper component has a knee seat and a strap for wrapping around the leg of the wearer; the lower component has a cuff for wrapping around the wearer's ankle. Fastener devices for attaching the knee pad and the straps to the support frame are either incorporated into or provided on the support frame.