One-Piece Nail Correction Device with Elastic Tensioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nail correction devices face challenges such as bulky designs, inability to adjust tension steplessly, and risk of parts being lost, which hinder effective and comfortable treatment for ingrown or rolled-in nails.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece device with adhesive elements and a tensioning mechanism that allows for continuous adjustment of tensile force, featuring a holding element for easy assembly and tensioning, and a design that prevents accidental detachment, ensuring a flat and cost-effective construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If expansion elements are used to generate tensile forces in nail correction devices, then the tensile force can be applied to the nail plate, but the device becomes bulky and disturbs the user in everyday use
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion element is positioned in the plane of the nail plate rather than protruding perpendicular to it. This dimensional repositioning allows the tensile force to be applied effectively while keeping the device profile flat and unobtrusive for everyday use.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into distinct functional components: adhesive elements for attachment, expansion element for force generation, and holding element for tensioning. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the expansion element can be positioned optimally in the plane without adding bulk.
2Reliability
If locking positions are provided on the nail plate for the expansion element, then the expansion element can be retained, but the device complexity increases and stepless adjustment is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The holding element provides dynamic tensioning capability, allowing the expansion element to be tensioned to any desired degree and maintained at that tension. The system transitions from static locking positions to dynamic continuous adjustment while maintaining reliability through the holding element's tensioning action.
3Force
If the expansion element acts at a large distance from the nail plate surface, then tensile forces can be generated, but the construction becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion element operates within the plane of the nail plate rather than at a distance from it. This repositioning in a different dimensional space allows tensile forces to be generated effectively while maintaining a compact profile with minimal distance from the nail plate surface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device provides a safe, adjustable, and effective nail correction by maintaining constant tensile stress, reducing the risk of injury and obstruction, while being easy to use and maintain, with a design that optimizes the therapeutic effect by applying bending moments eccentrically to the nail plate.
Implementation Method 1
an expansion element (16) which connects the first adhesive element (12) and the second adhesive element (14) to one another and generates a tensile force on the adhesive elements (12, 14)
Implementation Method 2
The adhesive elements have corresponding pockets into which the leaf spring engages... the adhesive brace is sufficiently fixed
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for nail correction and a method for the assembly of this device. The device (10) comprises a first adhesive element (12) and a second adhesive element (14) with an elastically effective extension element (16) between the first and the second adhesive elements, and a holding element (18). The first adhesive element and the second adhesive element are arranged at a distance from one another and are connected to one another via the extension element. The first and second adhesive elements can each be fixed to an area of a nail plate via an adhesive connection. According to the invention, the first adhesive element, the second adhesive element, and the extension element form an inseparable unit and are designed as a single piece. In addition, the extension element is elastically effective in the longitudinal direction thereof and functions as a traction element.