Adaptive Garment with Rear Split and Side Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clothing designs for physically handicapped individuals require bending, reaching, or lifting, which can be painful and impossible for those with restricted mobility, necessitating assistance and limiting their independence and ability to dress themselves.
Innovation Solution
The design of clothing that allows self-administration without needing to bend or lift, featuring joined rear sections that lap over the abdomen, with complementary fastening materials that secure closure without requiring arms to be raised or knees to be brought towards the face, enabling easy donning and removal without assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional clothing designs are used, then clothing structure is simple and standard, but physically handicapped individuals cannot dress themselves due to restricted mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The garment is divided into front and rear sections with the rear section featuring a longitudinal split that allows it to be opened and folded forward. This segmentation enables the garment to be donned without bending or lifting, as the rear section can be opened to accommodate the wearer's posture restrictions while maintaining a conventional appearance when closed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the opening at the front as in conventional clothing, the invention places the functional opening at the rear of the garment. The rear section splits longitudinally and folds forward to meet the front section, creating an inverted opening configuration that accommodates restricted mobility while preserving normal appearance from the front.
2Ease of operation
If conventional fastening methods are used, then fastening mechanism is simple, but hands must be raised above head or behind back which is painful or impossible for handicapped individuals
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an intermediary fastening system using Velcro® strips positioned at the sides of the garment rather than at the front center. This side-positioned fastening system allows individuals with restricted mobility to fasten the garment without raising their hands above their head or reaching behind their back, as the fasteners are accessible from the sides within normal reach.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system is repositioned from the conventional front-center location to the sides of the garment. This parameter change in fastener location transforms the accessibility of the fastening mechanism, allowing individuals with mobility restrictions to fasten the garment from the sides without requiring arm movements that would be painful or impossible for them.
3Ease of operation
If rear sections lap over abdomen with side fastening, then hands do not need to be raised above head, but garment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functional opening feature with the rear section design. The rear section is constructed to split longitudinally and fold forward, combining the opening function with the rear panel itself rather than requiring separate components. This merging reduces overall garment complexity while achieving the goal of hand accessibility without raising arms above the head.
Data Source
AI summary
This multiple component invention comprises a shirt, pants and bodysuit, which are readily donned without the necessity of executing normal dressing movements. Although conventional looking, this adjustable clothing combination does not don in the conventional manner, this clothing combination opens fully, allowing the physically challenged individual to readily self-don without assistance. The need for bending one's knees, bending forward or downward, removing and replacing one's shoes, is eliminated. The donning of the shirt does not require the individual to fold their arms or raise them to the shoulders. The very nature of this invention and improvements over prior art, allows the individual who has become dependent on others, to return to a life of self-reliance, independently living on one's own. The attributes of this multiple component invention for the wheelchair bound or bed-ridden individual needing assistance, will aid the caregiver, lessening stress on the patient and the caregiver.