Rollator Leg Rest Cushioning Body with Knee Depression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rollator walking aids often cause pressure peaks on the anterior surface of the knee and lower leg due to the lack of anatomical conformity in existing cushioning bodies, leading to discomfort and potential pressure pain during prolonged use.
Innovation Solution
A cushioning body with an elastic molded design featuring depressions on both the upper and lower sides to accommodate protuberant parts of the knee and lower leg, reducing pressure by creating a softer area and hollow space for these areas, which can be customized to fit individual anatomical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional cushioning body without anatomical conformity is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but pressure peaks occur on the knee and lower leg causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The cushioning body incorporates depressions at specific locations corresponding to the knee and lower leg anatomy. These localized modifications create hollow spaces that reduce pressure on protuberant body parts without requiring complete anatomical contouring of the entire cushioning surface, thus balancing comfort improvement with structural simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If the cushioning body material is made softer to reduce pressure, then comfort increases, but the support capability and stability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than making the entire cushioning body softer, the patent creates localized hollow spaces through depressions at specific anatomical locations. This allows the material to maintain its overall firmness and support capability while providing pressure relief only where needed on the knee and lower leg.
Solution Approach 2:
The cushioning body is functionally segmented into different zones: depressions at the knee and lower leg areas for pressure relief, and non-depressed areas elsewhere for maintaining support and stability. This segmentation allows different regions to serve different functions simultaneously.
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
The cushioning body effectively reduces counterpressure on the knee and lower leg, enhancing comfort and preventing pressure pain by distributing pressure more uniformly across the anterior surface, thus improving the overall experience of using a rollator walking aid.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic molded body which is intended to be attached to a support member of the leg rest
Data Source
AI summary
A cushioning body for a leg rest of a rollator walking aid is in the form of an elastic molded body and has an upper side, which, when the elastic molded body is attached to a support member of the leg rest of the walking aid and the walking aid is used by a person, faces a bent leg of the person, a lower side, and a depression disposed on the upper and/or lower side. The depression is configured as a recess or as an area in which the material of the molded body has a reduced density. In the depression, a protuberant part of the anterior surface of the knee and of the neighboring portion of the lower leg is received when a leg of a person is resting on the cushioning body, in particular when the bent leg is in contact with the upper side of the cushioning body.