Rear Midportion Opening Wetsuit for Natural Functions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wetsuits require complete removal from the body for natural functions, posing challenges for female users, especially when wearing additional upper-body garments like life vests, compromising convenience and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A wetsuit design featuring a rear mid-portion zipper that unzips in a C-shape from one leg's front to the other, allowing the mid-portion to fold back, enabling natural functions without undressing the upper body or removing additional garments, with a neoprene strip and inner layer for protection and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional wetsuit design is used with standard openings for on/off dressing, then the wetsuit maintains its structural integrity and warmth, but the user must remove the entire wetsuit or upper body portion to perform natural functions
Solution Approach 1:
The wetsuit is segmented into functional zones with a specific rear mid-portion opening that separates the upper body retention function from the lower body access function. This segmentation allows the user to access natural functions without removing the entire wetsuit or upper body portion, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear mid-portion opening extracts the access function from the main wetsuit structure, creating a dedicated pathway for natural functions. This extraction allows users to perform natural functions while keeping the upper body wetsuit and life vest in place, eliminating the time-consuming process of complete undressing.
2Ease of operation
If a rear opening is added to allow natural functions without removing the upper body, then convenience is improved, but the risk of zipper exposure to wear and tear and potential malfunction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The zipper is configured in a C-shape curve that follows the natural contours of the body. This curved configuration allows the zipper to fold around the body without creating sharp bends or stress concentration points, reducing wear and tear while maintaining reliability. The C-shape enables the zipper lock to move easily from start to end position without exposing the zipper to damaging forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The neoprene strip with integrated zipper acts as a flexible element that can bend and fold without compromising the zipper's structural integrity. This flexible configuration protects the zipper from rigid stress points while allowing the necessary movement for opening and closing, thereby maintaining reliability despite the increased exposure to use.
3Ease of operation
If the zipper extends in a C-shape to allow easy opening, then ease of operation is improved, but the structural complexity of the wetsuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The C-shaped zipper configuration serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides ease of operation by allowing simple one-handed opening, maintains structural integrity through its curved design that follows body contours, and enables the mid-portion to fold back as a lid. This multi-functionality justifies the increased structural complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single design element.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present relates to a wetsuit (1), comprising an upper body portion (2), a lower leg portion (17), and a mid-portion (8) arranged between the upper body portion and the lower leg portion, the lower leg portion comprising a first leg (18) and a second leg (19), wherein the first leg, the second leg and the mid-portion each comprises a front side (22) and a rear side (21), wherein the wetsuit comprises a zipper (3) configured to unzip at least a portion of the rear side of the mid portion, the zipper extending from an upper position of the first leg's front side to an upper position of the second leg's front side, via the rear side of the mid-portion.