Segmented Arm-Worn Hydration Bladder for Sloshing Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing arm-worn hydration devices cause muscle strain and fatigue due to their large profile and sloshing liquid, which interferes with arm movement during exercise or sports activities.
Innovation Solution
A flexible hydration device with a bladder having alternating liquid receiving chambers and fluid conveying tubes, secured to the arm or leg, that expands when filled and collapses when liquid is withdrawn, minimizing sloshing and muscle strain, and includes a drinking tube with a bite valve and wrist strap for convenient liquid access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a container is used to hold water on the arm, then hydration is provided, but the container has a large profile that interferes with arm movement
Solution Approach 1:
The bladder is divided into multiple liquid receiving chambers that are spaced along the length of the bladder. This segmentation distributes the water weight along the arm rather than concentrating it in one location, reducing the interference with arm movement while maintaining hydration capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid receiving chambers extend across the width of the bladder rather than just along the length, utilizing the width dimension to distribute water weight. This three-dimensional arrangement of chambers helps reduce the profile interference while maintaining water capacity
2Quantity of substance
If water is held in a container on the moving arm, then hydration is available, but the liquid sloshes back-and-forth causing muscle strain and fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the water into multiple separate chambers prevents the liquid from sloshing freely back-and-forth as a single mass. Each chamber's liquid movement is restricted, significantly reducing the sloshing effect that causes muscle strain and fatigue during arm movement
Solution Approach 2:
Each liquid receiving chamber is equipped with its own liquid conveying tube for filling and withdrawing liquid. This localized configuration allows each chamber to function independently, preventing the collective sloshing motion that occurs in single-chamber designs and reducing harmful effects on the user
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 device reduces muscle strain and fatigue by evenly distributing the weight of the liquid and preventing sloshing, allowing for smoother arm movement and convenient hydration during activities.
Implementation Method 1
The bladder includes a plurality of liquid receiving chambers that extend across the width of the bladder and that are spaced along the length of said bladder. The liquid chambers expand when filled with a liquid and collapse when liquid is withdrawn therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A hydration device has a flexible bladder constructed to have a plurality of expandable liquid receiving chambers that extend laterally across the width of the bladder and are spaced from one another along the length of the bladder. Liquid conveying tubes are in fluidic communication with liquid chambers. A coupling is fluidically connected to the tubes and includes a valve that operates to seal the coupling from the tubes. A drinking tube has a first end that is fluidically connected to the coupling thereby establishing a fluidic connection between the drinking tube and the tubes. A bite valve is connected to a second end of the drinking tube and is operable to allow a user to drink liquid from the chambers. The drinking tube may be secured to a user's wrist by a wrist strap.