Single Tube Crutch Nested Design for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crutches made with two parallel bowed tubes are often too heavy and expensive, compromising comfort and ease of use, especially for children and the elderly, while also being costly to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A single-tube crutch design featuring a telescoping mechanism where a lower leg with a slip-resistant tip is fully insertable into an upper leg, allowing for a grip assembly to translate between usage and stowed positions, reducing weight and manufacturing costs while maintaining weight-bearing capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional two parallel bowed tubes are used to make crutches, then weight-bearing capacity is sufficient, but weight becomes too heavy and comfort is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing one tube inside another tube to form a single-tube support structure. The first tube is positioned within the second tube, creating a nested configuration that reduces overall material usage and weight while maintaining structural integrity for weight-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges two separate tube structures into a single integrated support system. By combining the functions of two parallel tubes into one nested tube structure, the design achieves comparable strength and stability with reduced weight and material cost.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional two parallel bowed tubes are used to make crutches, then structural stability is adequate, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nested tube configuration reduces manufacturing complexity and material requirements compared to two separate parallel tubes. This nesting approach simplifies production while maintaining the structural stability needed for crutch functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging two tube structures into one nested configuration, the patent reduces manufacturing steps, material costs, and assembly complexity, thereby improving ease of manufacture while preserving structural stability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional two parallel bowed tubes are used to make crutches, then support functionality is provided, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The nested tube design simplifies the overall structure by consolidating two separate tubes into one integrated support system. This reduces device complexity while maintaining the adaptability and versatility needed for effective crutch support functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple structural elements into a single nested tube configuration, reducing device complexity and making the crutch easier to manufacture and use while preserving all necessary support functions.
4Ease of operation
If crutches are made with standard dimensions, then usability is good, but packaging and shipping volume is large
Solution Approach 1:
The nested tube configuration allows the crutch to be collapsed into a compact form where one tube is inserted within the other. This nesting enables reduced packaging volume for shipping and storage while maintaining full usability when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The crutch incorporates a telescoping mechanism that allows the tube lengths to be adjusted and collapsed. This dynamic structure enables the crutch to transition between usable and compact states, optimizing both usability and packaging efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A single-tube crutch (100) includes an upper leg (101) and a lower leg (301). The lower leg (301) can be fully insertable into a first end of the upper leg such that only a slip-resistant tip (102) is exposed. The single-tube crutch can include an underarm support (104) coupled to a second end of the upper leg opposite the first end. A grip assembly (105) translates along the upper leg between a usage position and a stowed position.