Radiation Protective Garment With Flexible Rod Weight Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical professionals experience back pain, soreness, and fatigue due to the excessive weight of traditional radiation protective garments, such as x-ray aprons, which are typically made with heavy lead materials.
Innovation Solution
A radiation protective garment with a weight-transfer apparatus featuring flexible rods and pockets that distribute the weight from the shoulders to the waist, using fiberglass or semi-flexible materials to lift the garment off the shoulders and shift the weight towards the hips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lead shielding material is used in radiation protective garments, then radiation protection effectiveness is improved, but garment weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The garment is divided into multiple segments with shielding material strategically placed only in areas requiring radiation protection (front, back, and sides of the torso), rather than covering the entire garment. This segmentation maintains radiation protection effectiveness while reducing overall weight by eliminating unnecessary shielding material in non-critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Shielding material is applied locally to specific high-risk areas of the garment where radiation exposure is most likely to occur, such as the front and back panels covering vital organs. Areas with lower radiation risk receive little or no shielding material, creating a non-uniform distribution that optimizes protection effectiveness while minimizing weight.
2Reliability
If heavy radiation protective garments are worn for extended periods, then radiation protection is maintained, but user comfort and health deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The garment structure is segmented into lightweight non-shielding areas (sleeves, collar, lower hem) and targeted shielding zones, reducing overall weight and improving comfort during extended wear while maintaining adequate radiation protection in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Comfort-enhancing features such as breathable fabric panels, moisture-wicking treatments, and ergonomic shaping are applied locally in areas of prolonged contact with the user's body, while radiation shielding is concentrated in areas requiring protection, creating a balance between comfort and safety.
3Reliability
If shielding material is added to traditional clothing, then radiation protection is achieved, but garment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radiation shielding layers are merged with the garment's structural panels and seams, integrating the protective function into the existing clothing architecture rather than adding separate shielding components. This merging approach maintains radiation protection while minimizing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment panels serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural support, ensure proper fit and coverage, and incorporate radiation shielding material. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, keeping the overall garment structure simple while achieving radiation protection.
Data Source
AI summary
A radiation protective garment, or a garment, having a front surface, a back surface, a waist portion and a shoulder portion, said garment to be worn by a person having a waist and shoulders, comprising, a first upper pocket arranged proximate the back surface and the shoulder portion, a second upper pocket arranged proximate the back surface and the shoulder portion, a first lower pocket arranged on the back surface and proximate the waist portion, a second lower pocket arranged on the back surface and proximate the waist portion, a first plurality of flexible rods supported by the first upper pocket and the first lower pocket, and a second plurality of flexible rods supported by the second upper pocket and the second lower pocket.