Segmented Girdle with Pre-Calibrated Tensioning for Easy Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing girdles for orthopedic and sports use face challenges in providing easy adjustable compression and fitting a wide range of sizes and anatomies, particularly requiring accurate calibration of tensioning belts and being difficult for older or physically impaired users to wear.
Innovation Solution
A girdle design featuring two portions with removable fastening, alternating strips, and pretensioning members that allow for easy adjustment and fitting, using Velcro connections and flexible non-elastic materials to accommodate different anatomies and sizes, with tensioning members and stiffening shafts for support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tensioning belts are used to adjust compression, then adaptability to different anatomies is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring accurate calibration and repeated adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The girdle is divided into an upper portion and a lower portion that can be independently adjusted. Each portion has its own tensioning belt that can be calibrated once during manufacturing to provide different compression degrees and lengths, eliminating the need for repeated adjustments by the user while maintaining adaptability to different anatomies.
Solution Approach 2:
The tensioning belts are pre-calibrated during manufacturing to provide the appropriate tension and compression for different anatomies. This preliminary calibration allows the girdle to be easily adjusted by the user without requiring complex calibration procedures or repeated adjustments, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining adaptability.
2Manufacturing precision
If tensioning belts require accurate calibration, then compression precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in application
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning belts are pre-calibrated during manufacturing with precise compression values. This preliminary action transfers the complexity of calibration from the user application phase to the manufacturing phase, allowing users to simply attach the pre-calibrated belts without needing to perform complex calibration procedures, thereby maintaining compression precision while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The girdle system is designed so that the pre-calibrated tensioning belts automatically provide the correct compression once attached. The system serves itself by having the manufacturing process embed the necessary calibration information, eliminating the need for users to perform complex calibration operations and making the girdle easy to wear while maintaining precision.
3Strength
If significant force is required to close the corset, then structural stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates for older or physically impaired users
Solution Approach 1:
The closure system is segmented into multiple attachment points along the girdle. Instead of requiring a single large force to close the entire girdle, users can apply smaller forces at multiple distributed points, making the closing operation feasible for older or physically impaired users while maintaining overall structural stability through the distributed attachment system.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure mechanism transitions from requiring linear pulling force to utilizing rotational or perpendicular attachment motions. The attachment system allows users to secure the girdle by engaging fasteners in a direction perpendicular to the main tension axis, reducing the required closing force while maintaining structural stability through the geometric arrangement of the attachment points.
Data Source
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AI summary
A girdle comprises a first portion (2) and a second portion (3), a first plurality of strips (4) that extend from the first portion (2) toward the second portion (3) and a second plurality of strips (5) that extend from the second portion (3) toward the first portion (2); the strips of each plurality gathering into at least first (6) and second (7) groups, each being joined to respective first (8) and second (9) joining members; tensioning members (12, 13) fastened to respective girdle portions (2, 3), and adapted to be removably fastened to the other portion (2) and acting upon the joining members (8, 9). Pretensioning members (15, 16) are designed to connect the first (8) and second joining members (9) to the respective tensioning members (12, 13), at least the pretensioning members (15, 16) that connect the first (8) or the second (9) joining members to the respective tensioning members (12, 13) being able to be removably fastened to the respective first (2) and second portion (3).