No-drop Bracelet Assembly with Retractable Tether
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Infants often drop toys and objects while being held, posing health risks from germ exposure and diverting caretakers' attention with the effort of sanitizing fallen items.
Innovation Solution
A no-drop bracelet assembly comprising a flexible chainring, retractable tether with a winch drum and biasing mechanism, and a coupler for secure attachment to objects, preventing them from falling by retracting back to the wrist when released.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a retractable tether with winch drum is used to prevent objects from falling, then objects are kept away from the ground, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cord is wound around the winch drum inside the casing, creating a nested structure where the cord is contained within the device housing. This nesting approach allows the tether to retract into a compact form while maintaining its length when extended, resolving the contradiction between preventing ground contact and managing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The winch drum acts as an intermediary mechanism between the cord and the external environment. It provides a controlled means of extending and retracting the cord, mediating the complex mechanical function while keeping the internal mechanism contained within the casing, thus addressing both hygiene protection and complexity concerns
2Reliability
If a retractable tether is used to prevent objects from falling, then objects remain secure, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing mechanism automatically reels the cord back around the winch drum when pulling force is removed, allowing the tether to self-retract without manual intervention. This self-service feature maintains reliable object security while simplifying operation, as the user only needs to extend the cord when needed and the system handles the retraction automatically
Solution Approach 2:
The tether operates in periodic cycles of extension and automatic retraction. The biasing mechanism creates a rhythmic action where the cord extends when pulled and automatically retracts when released, providing reliable security while maintaining ease of operation through this periodic self-regulating behavior
3Adaptability or versatility
If a hook and coupler system is used for attachment, then the bracelet can be removably coupled to objects, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is divided into separate functional components: a hook for attaching to the bracelet and a coupler for attaching to the object. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity, enabling removable coupling without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The hook and coupler design provides universal attachment capability across different objects. The standardized coupling interface allows the same bracelet mechanism to attach to various objects, achieving versatility through a simple, repeatable coupling design rather than complex object-specific mechanisms
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
Prevents toys and objects from touching the ground, maintaining hygiene and allowing caretakers to focus on infants without the distraction of retrieving fallen items.
Implementation Method 1
the retractable tether comprises a biasing mechanism configured to retract and reel the cord back around the winch drum when a pulling force is removed and the cord is released
Data Source
AI summary
A no-drop bracelet assembly is disclosed for use in preventing infants from dropping objects such as toys to the ground while the infants are being held by caretakers. In one embodiment, the no-drop bracelet assembly includes a bracelet adapted to be worn by a user, a coupler adapted to be removably coupled to an object, and a retractable tether coupled to the bracelet and having a winch and a cord reeled around the winch and adapted to be extended from a winch and biased in a retracted configuration. The coupler is, in turn, engaged to the cord.