Pivot Mechanism With Adjustable Protrusions For Joint Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pivot mechanisms for joint supports are cumbersome for patients to adjust, as they require medical workers to remove and reinsert pins to change the range of joint movement, making it inconvenient for rehabilitation settings.
Innovation Solution
A pivot mechanism with a connector and two supports that have adjustable protrusions fitting into slots, allowing easy adjustment of the angle between them, enabling patients to limit joint movement within a specific range without the need for pin adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pins are used to lock the pivot mechanism, then the joint support can be securely locked, but the adjustment process becomes complicated and inconvenient for patients
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into modular components: a dial indicator, a pin with head and tail, slots in the connector, and a locking segment. This segmentation allows the adjustment function to be distributed across multiple simple components that work together, making the overall system easier to operate while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patient can perform the adjustment themselves through the dial indicator mechanism. By rotating the dial, the pin automatically moves along the slots and engages with the locking segment, eliminating the need for medical workers to manually remove and reinsert pins. The system serves itself through the mechanical interaction of its components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If medical workers manually adjust pins to change joint movement range, then the support can be customized for different patients, but the process is time-consuming and cannot be performed by patients
Solution Approach 1:
The dial indicator enables patients to independently adjust the joint movement range without requiring medical workers. The patient simply rotates the dial to the desired position, and the mechanical components automatically configure the support settings, saving time and enabling patient autonomy.
Solution Approach 2:
The slots are pre-configured at specific intervals within the connector, and the pin is designed to engage with these pre-positioned slots. This preliminary arrangement of components allows for quick adjustment to predetermined ranges, eliminating the need for complex manual calculations or measurements during the adjustment process.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional pivot mechanism with teeth and arms is used, then synchronous rotation can be achieved, but the structure becomes complex and difficult for patients to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The complex teeth engagement mechanism is extracted and replaced with a simpler dial indicator system. The synchronous rotation function is maintained through the mechanical linkage of the pin moving along parallel slots in the connector, eliminating the need for interlocking teeth while preserving the functional outcome.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical teeth-and-arms system is substituted with a dial indicator mechanism that uses a pin moving along guided slots. This substitution maintains the synchronous rotation capability through simpler mechanical principles, reducing overall device complexity and improving ease of operation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A pivot mechanism for a joint support has a connector (10), a first support (20) and a second support (30). The connector (10) has multiple slots (122,122A). The first support (20) and the second support (30) are mounted pivotally in the connector (10) and rotate synchronously, and each has a protrusion (236,336). The protrusions (236,336) are adjusted to mount in the slots (122,122A) of the connector (10) and to limit an angle between the first and second support (20,30) to a determined range. Then, the pivot mechanism is attached around a joint of a patient to limit joint movement within the determined range, which can be adjusted easily during rehabilitation.