Segmented Rigid Shell Ankle Guard for Full Range of Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lower leg protection equipment for contact sports, such as American tackle football and lacrosse, fails to provide adequate protection for the Achilles heel and ankle areas without hindering the athlete's range of motion, leading to increased risk of injury and limited performance.
Innovation Solution
A lower leg, ankle, and Achilles injury protection device featuring two rigid exterior shells with cushioned interiors, secured by attachment straps and floating attachment pads with multi-axis adaptable linkages that allow full ankle motion while providing impact protection, using materials like Kevlar for added durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid ankle bracing is used, then impact protection is improved, but range of motion is severely limited
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device is divided into two separate rigid shells (front shell and rear shell) that protect different anatomical regions (shin and Achilles heel), allowing each shell to provide protection independently without constraining the other, thus maintaining full ankle range of motion while providing comprehensive impact protection
Solution Approach 2:
Protection is applied locally only where impact hazards exist (shin and Achilles heel areas) rather than providing uniform rigid bracing across the entire ankle, allowing protected areas to remain rigid while unprotected areas maintain full flexibility and natural motion
2Stability of the object's composition
If single hinged stirrup device is used, then structural support is improved, but ankle rotation is inhibited and device bulk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses two separate rigid shells positioned on opposite sides of the leg (front and rear), eliminating the need for a single hinged stirrup structure that would constrain lateral movement, thereby maintaining structural support while allowing full ankle rotation in all directions
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a single-plane hinged structure that limits motion to one dimension, the invention positions protective shells in three-dimensional space on opposite sides of the leg, allowing rotational freedom in multiple planes while maintaining structural integrity
3Reliability
If comprehensive ankle bracing is used, then injury protection is improved, but athletic performance is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The device provides targeted protection only at vulnerable impact points (shin and Achilles heel) using localized rigid shells, rather than applying comprehensive bracing across the entire ankle joint, thus preventing injury to critical areas while preserving natural ankle mechanics and athletic performance
Data Source
AI summary
A lower leg guard device is disclosed allowing a full range of ankle motion, while at the same time preventing impact injuries to the lower leg, including the Achilles area, the ankle, and the shin. The lower leg guard device includes two substantially rigid exterior shells each with a cushioned interior liner. The lower leg guard device can be securely attached to the lower leg with one or more attachment straps, and with at least one floating attachment pad that attaches to the wearer's footwear. A floating attachment pad can be positioned over both the inner side and outer side of the ankle, preferably attached to footwear that covers the ankle. The floating attachment pads are attached to the footwear using removable fasteners, located on the exterior surface of the footwear worn by the wearer, so that the guard device can be quickly and easily put on and removed.