Modular Shoulder Brace with Removable Thermal Pad
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shoulder support devices often fail to provide adequate mobility and stability for rehabilitation exercises, particularly for soft tissue injuries, and lack adaptability for various treatment positions and thermal therapy applications.
Innovation Solution
An orthopedic shoulder brace comprising a sleeve, a pad, and adjustable straps that allow for customizable support and positioning, enabling patient-driven exercises and thermal therapy, with removable components for versatile use across different body parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional shoulder support devices are used, then the shoulder is immobilized in a treatment position, but mobility and adaptability for rehabilitation exercises are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The brace is divided into separate functional components: a body support portion, a shoulder support portion with independent positioning capability, and adjustable straps. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while maintaining overall adaptability for different exercise positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The shoulder support portion is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to be moved to different positions relative to the body support portion. This dynamic adjustment enables the device to adapt between immobilization for treatment and various positions for rehabilitation exercises.
2Reliability
If the shoulder is immobilized for treatment, then stability is improved, but patient-driven exercises and range of motion are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable and movable shoulder support portion allows the device to transition between a fixed, reliable treatment position and a dynamic configuration that facilitates various rehabilitation exercises, combining reliability with ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows changing of positional parameters through adjustable straps and movable shoulder support, enabling transition between treatment mode (fixed position) and exercise mode (variable positions), thus improving both reliability and ease of operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If a fixed design is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability for different body parts and therapy types is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The brace uses segmented, modular components that can be manufactured separately and assembled in different configurations, simplifying manufacturing while enabling adaptability for different body parts and therapy types through reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates universal features such as adjustable straps and movable support portions that can be configured for multiple uses including shoulder treatment, thermal therapy, and various rehabilitation exercises across different body parts.
4Adaptability or versatility
If removable components are added for versatility, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brace is segmented into removable components (shoulder support portion, straps) that can be easily attached and detached, providing versatility without excessive complexity through simple modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The shoulder support portion is designed to be removable from the body support portion, allowing it to be used independently for thermal therapy or other applications, enhancing adaptability while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic brace for supporting a shoulder and an arm of a patient can comprise a sleeve, a pad, a pillow, and a system of adjustable straps for positioning and securing the sleeve in a desired position for treatment. The pad can comprise a plurality of pockets for accepting hot or cold compresses therein for providing thermal therapy, and can be removable from the brace to be used in isolation along other parts of the body. The adjustable straps can be replaced with tensile straps, and the sleeve can be positioned along different points of the patient's body to allow the patient to conduct various patient driven exercises, including patient driven range of motion or strengthening exercises.