Sock Donning Aid with Adjustable U-Shaped Profile for Limited Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sock donning aids are bulky, expensive, require complex methods, and often necessitate bending forward or skilled hand coordination, especially for compression socks, and they do not easily accommodate different foot sizes without manual adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A sock donning aid with a 'U'-shaped body profile that tilts relative to a support pad, featuring an adjustable width and a non-slip surface, allowing easy donning of compression socks without bending, using a hook for stability and a longitudinal opening for heel insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a traditional shoehorn design is used, then the device structure is simple, but the user still needs to bend forward and cannot avoid manual handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a handle extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body, creating a new dimensional aspect for manipulation. This allows the device to be held and operated without forward bending, as the handle provides a vertical or lateral grip point that elevates the operational interface away from the user's forward reach zone.
2Ease of operation
If a hoop with long handle or string is used, then forward bending is avoided, but considerable skill and coordination are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different structural qualities to different parts of the device: the body maintains a rigid hoop structure for sock retention, while the handle provides a solid grip zone. This localized differentiation allows the foot insertion zone to remain simple and stable, reducing the coordination skill needed compared to flexible string-based solutions.
3Strength
If the sock donning aid body is made with strong material for compression socks, then it can provide high compression, but the profile strength is limited and adjustment for different foot sizes is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the profile width adjustable rather than fixed, allowing the structural parameters to change dynamically. The profile can be expanded or contracted to accommodate different foot sizes while maintaining the necessary compression strength through controlled adjustment of the profile dimensions.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the profile width is adjusted for different foot sizes, then adaptability improves, but heating and reshaping plastic material is arduous and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the profile into separable segments or components that can be independently adjusted. This segmentation allows width modification without requiring heating and reshaping of the entire profile, as individual segments can be reconfigured or replaced to achieve the desired width for different foot sizes.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sock donning aid as a compensatory aid for individuals with limited mobility to facilitate putting on socks or stockings, particularly compression. It consists of a “U”-shaped profile body connected to a support pad via a base, where the body of the sock donning aid is surrounded by at least one closed or open profile defining the width of the sock donning aid body whereas this profile is equipped with symmetrically designed stops in which the longitudinal edges of the sock donning aid body are seated.