Knee Therapy Support Roll With Rigid Core and Retaining Strap
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing physical therapy devices for knee rehabilitation are cumbersome, uncomfortable, and inadequate, hindering patient rehabilitation due to lack of specific design for required exercises.
Innovation Solution
A knee joint physical therapy device with a rigid or semi-rigid core, padding, and straps with handles, designed to provide comfortable support and facilitate various exercises, including a retaining band for foot retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rolled-up towel is used to support a joint during exercise, then the device is readily available and easy to use, but the towel is too soft to provide adequate support or may come unrolled during the exercise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the support device by using a rigid or semi-rigid core instead of soft material like a towel. This core provides structural integrity and adequate support while maintaining the cylindrical shape needed for joint support during exercises.
Solution Approach 2:
The device combines a rigid or semi-rigid core with a flexible cover and padding. This composite structure provides both the necessary support strength from the core and the comfort/flexibility from the padding and cover, resolving the contradiction between support adequacy and ease of use.
2Adaptability or versatility
If generic equipment like ropes, bands, or towels is used for physical therapy exercises, then the equipment is readily available, but the equipment is not designed specifically for the required exercises and is cumbersome or uncomfortable to use
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed as a universal physical therapy tool that can be used for multiple knee rehabilitation exercises. The cylindrical body with straps and handles can support various exercises including heel slides, quad sets, and short arc quads, making it versatile and specifically suited for knee therapy while remaining easy to use.
3Reliability
If a rigid structure is used to provide adequate support, then the support strength is improved, but the comfort during use deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses a composite structure where a rigid or semi-rigid core provides the necessary support strength, while surrounding padding and a flexible cover provide comfort. This layered composite design allows the device to maintain structural integrity during use while being comfortable for the patient.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the device have different properties: the core is rigid or semi-rigid for support, the padding is soft for comfort, and the cover is flexible for ease of use. This local differentiation of material properties allows the device to simultaneously provide adequate support and comfort.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for facilitating physical therapy exercises of the knee having a cylindrical or semicylindrical body having a rigid core, padding, and a vinyl cover. A strap is attached to the body at each end and may have one or more handles for grasping by a patient.