Separable Undergarment with Lateral Fasteners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with limited mobility or disabilities face challenges in dressing and undressing due to the need for balancing and lifting legs to put on undergarments, which can be tiring and risky, highlighting the need for an undergarment that can be easily worn or removed with minimal mobility.
Innovation Solution
A separable undergarment design featuring a flexible body with front and rear panels connected by central and lateral fasteners, leg panels, and pull tabs, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly without requiring significant leg movement, with features like elastic materials and strategically placed fasteners for secure and adjustable fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional undergarments are used, then the undergarment provides basic coverage and support, but the user requires significant leg movement and balancing to put on or remove the undergarment
Solution Approach 1:
The undergarment is divided into separate front and rear panels that can be independently manipulated. The front panel can be detached from the rear panel, allowing the user to dress by simply placing the rear panel around the waist and securing the front panel separately, eliminating the need to lift or balance legs during dressing
Solution Approach 2:
A door panel with a window and closure mechanism serves as an intermediary element between the front and rear panels. This door panel can be opened or closed independently, providing additional control over the dressing process and allowing users with limited mobility to adjust the fit without requiring leg movement
2Reliability
If traditional undergarments are used, then the undergarment maintains a simple structure, but the user experiences fatigue or risk of falling due to required balancing and leg lifting
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the undergarment into front and rear panels that can be independently handled, the design eliminates the need for users to lift or balance their legs during dressing. The rear panel can be secured around the waist while the front panel is attached separately, allowing users to dress from a seated or standing position without compromising safety
Solution Approach 2:
The undergarment incorporates self-adjusting features including elastic materials that automatically conform to the user's body, and closure mechanisms that can be easily operated by the user themselves without requiring assistance from others, thereby maintaining safety and independence
3Productivity
If traditional undergarments are used, then the undergarment provides basic functionality, but the dressing process takes considerable time for individuals with limited mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The separable panel design allows users to dress more efficiently by securing the rear panel around the waist first, then simply attaching the front panel. This segmented approach eliminates the time-consuming process of lifting legs or adjusting a one-piece garment, significantly reducing the total dressing time for users with limited mobility
Solution Approach 2:
The undergarment is designed so that the rear panel can be prepared and positioned around the waist in advance, with the front panel ready for quick attachment. This preliminary arrangement of components streamlines the dressing process and reduces the time required to complete dressing independently
4Adaptability or versatility
If separable panels with multiple fasteners are used, then the undergarment provides adjustable and secure fit, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The undergarment is manufactured as separate front and rear panels that can be produced independently using standard manufacturing processes. This segmentation allows each panel to be optimized for its specific function while simplifying the overall manufacturing process, as the panels can be assembled using simple fastening mechanisms rather than complex integrated construction
Solution Approach 2:
The fasteners and closure mechanisms used in the undergarment are designed to be universal components that can be applied to both the front and rear panels. This standardization of fastening elements simplifies manufacturing by allowing the same components to be used across different parts of the garment, reducing the need for specialized production processes
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
Enables users to dress and undress independently from seated, standing, or lying positions, reducing the risk of falls and minimizing effort, while maintaining a secure and adjustable fit.
Implementation Method 1
an upper edge of each of the front panel and the rear panel comprise an elastic material
Implementation Method 2
A first set of complementary fasteners are disposed along a first lateral edge of each of the front panel and the rear panel... the first and second sets of complementary fasteners removably secure the front panel to the rear panel
Data Source
AI summary
A separable undergarment is provided. The separable undergarment includes a flexible body having a front panel affixed to a rear panel via a central portion that contains a pocket. A first set of complementary fasteners is disposed along a first lateral edge of the front and rear panels. A second set of complementary fasteners is disposed along a second lateral edge of the front and rear panels. The front panel is removably securable to the rear panel via the first and second sets of complementary fasteners to define an assembled configuration. A pair of cutouts are disposed between the front panel and the rear panel on opposing sides of the flexible body defining a pair of leg openings when the flexible body is in the assembled configuration. A pair of pull tabs are affixed to each of the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge of the rear panel.