Shoulder Bag Elbow Brace for Upright Mobile Device Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for supporting portable electronic devices, such as device holders and arm slings, are cumbersome, obtrusive, difficult to store, costly, and do not provide ergonomically satisfactory positioning, leading to neck, shoulder, back, and wrist discomfort due to improper loading.
Innovation Solution
An unobtrusive elbow brace with a length-adjustable shoulder strap assembly and a flexible bag assembly featuring a frustoconical elbow-receiving sleeve made of elastomer material, allowing for comfortable and upright support of the elbow during device use, thereby maintaining a head-up posture and reducing strain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid or semi-rigid braces are used to provide structural support and compression, then therapeutic effectiveness is improved, but comfort and willingness to wear are worsened due to bulkiness and visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible shell principles by using a thin, conforming cover that wraps around the elbow joint. This cover is made of flexible material that can be compressed to apply therapeutic pressure while maintaining comfort and invisibility under clothing, thus resolving the contradiction between therapeutic effectiveness and willingness to wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase change materials (paraffin wax) that change physical state from solid to liquid and back based on temperature. This parameter change allows the brace to absorb excess heat during inflammation (melting) and release heat when cool (solidifying), providing therapeutic effect while maintaining a comfortable, invisible form factor that users are willing to wear continuously.
2Reliability
If compression is applied to reduce swelling and provide therapeutic effect, then medical benefit is improved, but comfort is worsened due to excessive pressure and bulkiness
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible thin film cover distributes compression forces evenly across the elbow surface area, preventing excessive localized pressure while maintaining overall therapeutic compression. This resolves the contradiction by providing medical benefit through controlled compression without compromising comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase change material dynamically adjusts compression pressure based on temperature and swelling conditions. When the elbow swells and generates heat, the paraffin melts and absorbs energy, reducing pressure. When the elbow cools, the paraffin solidifies and provides gentle compression, thus maintaining comfort while delivering medical benefit.
3Reliability
If thermal therapy is used to treat inflammation, then therapeutic effectiveness is improved, but harmful effects are worsened due to excessive heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase transition of paraffin wax to manage thermal therapy. The paraffin absorbs excess heat from inflamed tissue during melting (solid to liquid transition), preventing excessive heat buildup. During cooling, it releases stored heat through solidification (liquid to solid transition), providing gentle warmth. This resolves the contradiction by making thermal therapy effective while preventing harmful extreme temperatures.
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 elbow brace effectively mitigates neck and back pain by allowing users to maintain an upright posture while using portable devices, providing comfort and reducing wrist strain through dual-purpose integration with a shoulder bag, making it more accessible and user-friendly.
Implementation Method 1
The brace incorporates a phase change material, such as paraffin wax, which absorbs excess heat when it melts and releases heat when it solidifies
Data Source
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AI summary
An elbow brace (10) for supporting a wearer's elbow in a desired position when us- ing a portable electronic device to mitigate "tech neck" is made unobtrusive by inco-rporation into a shoulder bag having a length-adjustable shoulder strap (11). A flex- ible bag assembly (14) comprises opposite first and second panels (16, 17) of flexible sheet-like material connected to define an interior compartment having a volume. An upper bag mouth (20) is disposed between edges (18,19) of the panels (16, 17), with fastenings (24, 25) connecting its opposite ends of the edges (18, 19). An elbow- receiving sleeve (15) of flexible sheet-like material is attached in the upper bag mou- th (20) and can be opened into a generally frustoconical form, for supporting a bent elbow such that, in use, both forearm and upper arm extend from an outer end elbow-receiving sleeve (15). In a closed state the elbow-receiving sleeve (15) is flatened such that opposing halves of the elbow-receiving sleeve (15) come together.