Segmented Orthotic Bar for Clubfoot Abduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clubfoot correction devices, such as the Ponseti method's abduction device, require frequent adjustments and can be cumbersome for children, limiting their mobility and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A unitary injection molded bar assembly with quick release members and ribbed locating positions allows for adjustable angular positioning and easy attachment/detachment of footwear, providing a customizable and user-friendly solution for maintaining therapeutic foot positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a linear rigid bar is used to separate and hold feet in abduction position, then the therapeutic effect is achieved, but the device becomes cumbersome and limits child mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The bar is divided into multiple segments with articulation points, allowing the device to be segmented and flexible rather than a single rigid piece. This enables the bar to bend and adapt to the child's movements while maintaining the therapeutic abduction position, thus improving mobility without sacrificing therapeutic effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The bar incorporates dynamic elements including articulation points that allow movement, and adjustable positioning mechanisms that enable the bar to adapt to different positions. This dynamic design allows the device to maintain therapeutic function while accommodating child mobility and comfort needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If frequent adjustments are made to the abduction device, then individual patient needs are accommodated, but the device becomes more complex and harder to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The bar includes pre-configured articulation points and positioning features that are prepared in advance during manufacturing. These preliminary configurations allow for easy adjustment to different positions without requiring complex assembly or adjustment procedures, thus maintaining adaptability while minimizing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanisms are designed to be self-adjusting or easily adjustable by the user without requiring specialized tools or complex procedures. The bar's design allows parents or caregivers to make adjustments themselves, reducing the need for professional intervention and simplifying the overall device operation.
3Ease of operation
If a unitary injection molded bar with quick release members is used, then ease of attachment/detachment is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The quick release members enable rapid attachment and detachment of the bar to the footwear, allowing the process to be completed quickly without requiring complex fastening mechanisms. This skipping of time-consuming attachment procedures improves ease of operation while the locating positions ensure precise angular positioning is maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection molding process replaces traditional mechanical assembly methods with a single-piece molded construction. This substitution integrates multiple components into one unit, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining precise locating positions through the molding process itself, thus balancing ease of operation with manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for locating footwear to maintain a user's feet in a predetermined therapeutic position, including a bar, typically a unitary curved bar forming an uninterrupted arc, where the bar has a first end and a second end, a first inner locating position on the first end, a first outer locating position on the first end, a second inner locating position on the second end, and a second outer locating position on the second end. Each of the locating positions typically includes a plurality of spaced apart ribs at least partially surrounding in a radial arrangement extending about a center point of a connection hole.