Flotation Device with Segmented Petal Foam and Adjustable Inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrotherapy floatation devices are prone to variability in inflation, leakage, and restricted movement due to their round shape, which limits their effectiveness and safety for users, especially infants, who require full freedom of movement and secure fit.
Innovation Solution
A floatation device fabricated from buoyant safety foam with a unique 'flower petal' shape and adjustable inserts to accommodate different sizes and weights, featuring a downwardly sloping top side, level portion, and side extensions for enhanced stability and flexibility, along with a secure locking mechanism to ensure a snug fit around the neck.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a round shape is used for the floatation device, then the device is simple to manufacture, but the device restricts users' movement of arms and reduces effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The floatation device is divided into multiple petal-shaped segments that can be separated by divisions, allowing the device to be customized and adjusted for different users while maintaining ease of manufacturing through modular construction
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a symmetric round shape to an asymmetric flower petal shape with multiple divisions and extensions, enabling full freedom of arm movement while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized petal components
2Adaptability or versatility
If inflatable material is used for the floatation device, then the device can be adjusted for different sizes, but the device has variability in inflation and leaks after few uses
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses removable inserts of different sizes and weights that can be placed within the petal divisions to adjust buoyancy and fit for different users, providing adaptability without relying on inflatable components that leak or vary in pressure
Solution Approach 2:
The floatation device combines foam material for structural integrity and buoyancy with removable inserts for customization, creating a composite structure that is both reliable and adaptable to different users
3Reliability
If the floatation device is designed for secure fit, then the device provides safety, but the device restricts movement and reduces effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate petals with gaps between them, providing a secure fit around the user's body while allowing freedom of movement for arms and body, eliminating the restriction problem of traditional secure designs
Solution Approach 2:
The foam material is positioned to provide support and security at the neck and body, while the petal extensions and divisions allow unrestricted movement in other areas, creating local security without global restriction
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 provides stable and secure floating with full freedom of movement, accommodating users of varying sizes and ages, while preventing tipping and ensuring comfort and safety, even for active infants, by distributing buoyancy effectively and allowing for easy adjustment as users grow.
Implementation Method 1
a body fabricated from a buoyant foam
Data Source
AI summary
The invention includes a floatation device. The floatation device includes a body fabricated from a buoyant foam, and the body comprises an outer side wall, a top side comprising a downwardly sloped portion and a level portion, an inner opening at the center of the level portion, and a division extending from the outer side wall to the inner opening. The floatation device may also include one or more front, rear, and/or side extensions as well as one or more inserts, in some embodiments.