Personal Mobility System with Elastic Stabilizers for Tipping Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobility devices, such as walkers, lack stabilization, are difficult to use, especially for users with low strength, and do not provide adequate support for standing, sitting, or navigating uneven surfaces, leading to instability and difficulty in transitioning between positions.
Innovation Solution
A personal mobility system with integrated standing and sitting features, incorporating elastic stabilizer mechanisms, telescoping handles, and adjustable components for stability and ease of use, designed to provide ergonomic support and prevent tipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional walkers are designed with handles at both sides, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the user experiences difficulty in operation and lacks stability
Solution Approach 1:
The walker incorporates adjustable components including telescoping handles that can be adjusted in height and position, and removable armrests that can be repositioned. These dynamic adjustments allow the device to adapt to different user needs and preferences, significantly improving ease of operation while the adjustment mechanisms remain relatively simple in design
Solution Approach 2:
The walker allows modification of key parameters such as handle height, armrest position, and wheel configuration. By enabling users to change these parameters, the device becomes more adaptable and easier to operate for different individuals and situations, while the parameter adjustment mechanisms maintain reasonable structural simplicity
2Weight of moving object
If walkers are designed to be lightweight, then portability is improved, but stabilization and support are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The walker frame utilizes composite materials that provide high strength-to-weight ratio. This allows the structure to remain lightweight for easy portability while maintaining sufficient stability and support capabilities. The composite construction enables the frame to be both lightweight and structurally sound simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The walker incorporates large wheels with pneumatic tires that provide stability through increased contact area with the ground. By moving stability support from the frame weight to the wheel-ground interaction, the device achieves stability without requiring excessive frame weight, thus maintaining portability
3Adaptability or versatility
If walkers are designed with fixed structure, then manufacturing is simple, but adaptability to different users and surfaces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The walker is divided into modular segments including removable armrests, adjustable handles, and interchangeable wheel assemblies. This segmentation allows different components to be manufactured separately using standard processes, then assembled to create customized configurations, maintaining ease of manufacture while dramatically improving adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The walker incorporates universal features such as adjustable components that serve multiple functions, and a standardized interface system that allows different attachments and configurations. This multi-functionality approach enables a single base design to adapt to various user needs and surface conditions without requiring entirely different manufacturing processes
4Ease of operation
If walkers lack elevation assistance, then the structure remains simple, but users with low strength cannot easily transition to standing position
Solution Approach 1:
The walker incorporates elevation assistance components that act as intermediaries between the user and the standing transition. These components provide mechanical support during the transition, reducing the effort required by users with low strength, while the intermediary mechanism remains integrated into the overall walker structure without excessive complexity
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 system offers enhanced stability, ease of use, and safety, allowing users to transition between standing and sitting positions while navigating various surfaces, minimizing injury risk and providing a comfortable, aesthetically pleasing, and functional mobility aid.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of elastic stabilizer mechanisms, wherein the plurality of elastic stabilizer mechanisms further comprises a plurality of elastic deformation components
Data Source
AI summary
A personal mobility system with multiple adjustments is presented. The personal mobility system may comprise one or more elastic stabilizer mechanisms. The adjustments may comprise a telescoping adjustment system for multiple handles, to adjust height and position of handles. The personal mobility system presents handles at a variety of positions, and of different types, to assist a user in moving from sitting to standing to walking, and to and from other positions, and presents a seat. The personal mobility system with elastic stabilizer mechanisms stabilizes the system against tipping over, improving user safety by reducing the occurrence of tips and falls. The elastic stabilizer mechanisms may be engaged by all handles and grip surfaces, or by a subset thereof, of the personal mobility system when a user begins to tip. The personal mobility system presents improvements in folding, convenience, and useability.