Leg Brace Isolating Lower Leg via Load-Bearing Struts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobility aids like crutches and wheelchairs can be cumbersome and further impair mobility in individuals with lower extremity impairments, necessitating a more effective device to isolate the lower leg from weight-bearing stress.
Innovation Solution
A leg brace with load-bearing struts and cuffs that transfer weight from the knee, lower leg, and foot to the upper leg, utilizing adjustable and rigid materials for secure fitting and support, with hinges and foot attachments to distribute weight effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If crutches or wheelchairs are used to keep weight off the lower leg, then the lower leg is isolated from weight-bearing stress, but the device becomes cumbersome and impairs mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The leg brace merges the upper leg cuff, lower leg cuff, struts, hinges, and feet into a single integrated device that is secured directly to the user's leg. This combination eliminates the need for separate crutches or wheelchairs, providing weight isolation while maintaining mobility through a unified design that moves with the user's body.
Solution Approach 2:
The load-bearing struts act as intermediaries that transfer the user's weight from the lower leg through the hinges to the upper leg cuff. This intermediary mechanism isolates the lower leg from weight-bearing stress while distributing the load through the upper leg, enabling mobility without requiring external aids like crutches or wheelchairs.
2Reliability
If a leg brace is designed to transfer weight through struts and hinges, then the lower leg is isolated from weight-bearing stress, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The leg brace is segmented into distinct functional components: upper leg cuff, lower leg cuff, upper struts, lower struts, hinges, and feet. Each segment performs a specific function in the weight transfer process, allowing the complex weight transfer capability to be achieved through modular, manageable parts that can be assembled into a cohesive device.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinges provide dynamic, pivotal connections between the struts and cuffs, allowing the device to adapt to movement and maintain proper alignment during use. This dynamic element enables the structure to handle weight transfer effectively while accommodating the natural motion of the user's leg, reducing the need for overly complex rigid structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A leg brace isolates a lower extremity of a leg to which the brace is secured. The leg brace includes an upper leg cuff and a lower leg cuff. Two upper struts are attached to opposite sides of the upper leg cuff and extend along the upper leg cuff. Two lower struts are attached to opposite sides of the lower leg cuff and extend along the lower leg cuff. One hinge pivotally connects one upper strut and one lower strut and a second hinge pivotally connects the other upper strut and the other lower strut. The hinges can be configured to have a limited and/or selectable degree of rotation (e.g., flexion and/or extension). Bottom ends of the lower struts extend beyond a user's foot of the leg to which the leg brace is attached. A foot is attached to each bottom end of the lower struts.