Removable Prosthetic Sole With Hook-and-Loop Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prosthetic blades used for amputees, especially those designed for running, face challenges with static stability on varied terrain and require complex, tool-dependent sole changes for grip adjustments, limiting mobility and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A removable sole with a housing and flexible posterior extension featuring hooking means for easy attachment and detachment, allowing quick grip modifications and increased stability through a wedge system, made from durable and flexible materials like rubber and EVA/PU foam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pads are directly glued to the underside of the blade, then grip on the ground is improved, but the sole cannot be easily changed or adapted to different terrains
Solution Approach 1:
The sole is designed as a separate, removable component that can be detached from the blade and replaced with different soles suited for different terrains. This segmentation allows the grip surface to be optimized for specific conditions while maintaining the ability to adapt by changing only the sole portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system uses dynamic fastening means (such as hooks, loops, or adjustable fasteners) that allow the sole to be quickly attached and detached without permanent bonding. This enables the user to dynamically adapt the grip characteristics by changing soles based on terrain conditions.
2Ease of operation
If the sole is made removable and tool-free to install, then ease of operation is improved, but the attachment mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is designed to be self-servicing, allowing the user to attach and detach the sole without requiring external tools. The fastening means (such as snap-fit connectors, hook-and-loop systems, or lever-based retainers) are engineered to be operated directly by hand, eliminating the need for screwdrivers, hammers, or other tools while maintaining secure attachment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a wedge is inserted between the sole and blade to increase contact surface, then stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A wedge-shaped intermediary element is introduced between the sole and the blade to increase the contact surface area and improve stability. This wedge acts as a mediator that distributes the load over a larger area and provides a more stable base of support. The wedge is integrated into the sole assembly and attaches through the existing fastening system, avoiding the need for separate complex mounting 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
Enhances mobility and comfort by providing easy sole changes, improved grip, and adjustable stability on different terrains without tools, reducing fatigue and improving proprioception.
Implementation Method 1
the lower wall and the posterior extension comprise lower faces made of rubber
Implementation Method 2
the means of attachment of the upper face of the posterior extension are composed of hooks and/or loops
Implementation Method 3
you can easily insert a wedge between the sole and the blade in order to increase the contact surface of the sole with the ground
Data Source
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AI summary
A removable insole (1) comprising an anterior portion (10) including a housing (16) for receiving a distal end (22) of a flexible blade (2), the housing being delimited by a lower wall (11), a lateral wall (12), a medial wall (13), a frontal wall (14), and a superior wall (15), the housing thus having a posterior opening (161) delimited by the inferior, lateral, medial, and superior walls of the anterior portion, the posterior opening allowing insertion of the distal end of the flexible blade into the housing. The removable insole includes a flexible posterior extension (17) extending the lower wall rearward, the posterior extension having a superior face (171) bearing a fastening means (175) adapted to cooperate with a complementary fastening means (245) disposed on an inferior face (24) of the flexible blade.