Knot Tying Device Hinged Body Wheel Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual knot tying can be challenging for individuals with underdeveloped or compromised motor skills, and is difficult in unstable environments such as a rocking boat.
Innovation Solution
A knot tying device comprising a body and a wheel, where the body is split into two portions that can be hinged together, allowing a strand of material to be passed through and the wheel rotated to form various knots, such as clinch or blood knots, facilitating knot formation without manual dexterity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual knot tying is used, then motor skills and dexterity are required, but individuals with underdeveloped or compromised motor skills cannot tie knots easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a knot tying device as an intermediary tool between the user and the knot-tying task. The device includes a body with a wheel that guides the fishing line through specific paths and configurations, automatically forming knots when the wheel is rotated. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for the user to manually manipulate the line with dexterous finger movements, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and motor skill requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the complex manual mechanical system of finger dexterity and hand coordination with a simplified mechanical system consisting of a wheel and guided line paths. The user only needs to perform the simple rotational action of turning the wheel, while the device's internal geometry and line guides automatically perform the complex manipulations required to form various knots. This substitution transforms a dexterity-intensive task into a simple rotational motion task.
2Productivity
If manual knot tying is used, then teaching and learning time is required, but it takes time to learn how to tie knots properly
Solution Approach 1:
The knot tying device is designed to be self-instructing and self-executing. The device's physical structure, including the wheel configuration and line guides, inherently encodes the correct knot-tying sequence. When the user rotates the wheel, the device automatically performs the correct manipulations without requiring the user to recall or apply learned techniques. This self-service mechanism eliminates the learning curve entirely, allowing immediate productive use of the device.
3Reliability
If manual knot tying is used, then stable environment is needed, but knot tying becomes difficult on a rocking boat
Solution Approach 1:
The knot tying device segments the knot-tying process into discrete, controlled steps through its mechanical structure. The wheel is divided into segments or positions that correspond to different stages of knot formation, with line guides that constrain the line to specific paths at each stage. This segmentation allows the device to perform each step independently and reliably, insulating the process from environmental disturbances such as boat rocking. The modular, step-by-step mechanical guidance ensures consistent results regardless of external stability conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a knot tying device includes a body that defines a wheel slot and inner passages that lead to the wheel slot and a wheel that fits and can be rotated within the wheel slot, the wheel including openings that can be aligned with the inner passages of the body, wherein one or more strands of material can be fed through the inner passages of the body and the openings of the wheel and the wheel can then be rotated relative to the body to twist the one or more stands.