Segmented Cable Connectors for Living-Body Apparatuses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing living-body-mounted apparatuses with electric cables face issues such as entanglement with the body, difficulty in handling connectors, and risk of apparatus breakage due to cable length and motion-induced disconnection.
Innovation Solution
A flexible elongated member connecting an apparatus main body and an electric-related attachment portion, featuring a living-body-side connector and an apparatus-main-body-side connector with an engagement portion that requires a lower tensile load to disconnect than to detach the cable, reducing entanglement and breakage risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electric cable is set to be relatively long so as to sag to some extent, then the electric-related attachment portion can be attached stably for a prescribed period of time and absorb body motions, but handling of the electric cable becomes troublesome and it may be entangled with the living body
Solution Approach 1:
The electric cable is divided into multiple segments with connectors at intermediate positions. This segmentation allows the cable to be detached into shorter sections, making handling easier and reducing entanglement while maintaining stable attachment when connected. The cable can be divided into a first cable portion and a second cable portion with connectors that can be detached when not in use.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a pair of connectors are removably provided at a position midway through the electric cable, then connection can be temporarily cut by detaching the connector as necessary, but attachment and detachment of the connector becomes difficult and handling by elderly people or children is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connector design inverts the traditional approach by making the detachment operation simpler than attachment. The first connector includes a detachment portion that can be easily pulled to disconnect, while the attachment operation relies on automatic engagement through elastic restoring force. This inversion allows elderly people and children to easily detach and attach connectors without complex operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector incorporates an elastic member that provides automatic engagement when the connectors are brought together. The elastic restoring force automatically aligns and connects the first and second connectors without requiring precise manual alignment, allowing the system to serve itself during the attachment process.
3Reliability
If firmly connected connectors are used to prevent unintended detachment, then connection stability is improved, but attachment and detachment becomes difficult and handling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connector design inverts the traditional approach by making the detachment operation simpler than attachment. The first connector includes a detachment portion that can be easily pulled to disconnect, while the attachment operation relies on automatic engagement through elastic restoring force. This inversion allows elderly people and children to easily detach and attach connectors without complex operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector incorporates an elastic member that provides dynamic adjustment during connection. The elastic restoring force allows the connector to adapt to slight misalignments and provides automatic engagement, while still allowing easy detachment when needed. This dynamic behavior enables both stable connection and easy operation.
4Reliability
If the electric cable is set to be long, then the apparatus can accommodate body motions, but the extra portion of the electric cable may inadvertently be entangled with the living body, especially during sleep or unconscious states
Solution Approach 1:
The electric cable is divided into multiple segments with connectors at intermediate positions. This segmentation allows the cable to be detached into shorter sections, making handling easier and reducing entanglement while maintaining stable attachment when connected. The cable can be divided into a first cable portion and a second cable portion with connectors that can be detached when not in use.
Data Source
AI summary
A living-body-mounted apparatus includes an apparatus main body, an electric-related attachment portion, and a flexible elongated member. The elongated member includes a living-body-side connector and an apparatus-main-body-side connector at a position midway through an electric cable thereof, and electrical conduction between the apparatus main body and the electric-related attachment portion is established while the connectors are connected. A condition of F1<F2 is satisfied, where F1 represents a minimum value of tensile load required for disconnection by moving the living-body-side connector and the apparatus-main-body-side connector relatively away from each other in a connected state and F2 represents a minimum value of tensile load required to detach the elongated member from the apparatus main body.