Orthopedic Stabilizing Rod with Mesh Belt Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stabilizing rods for orthopedic aids, such as knee bandages, are complex to produce, expensive, difficult to weld, and can damage adjacent textiles, while also lacking controlled flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A stabilizing rod with a bending section featuring a mesh belt structure, which can be made from a single piece of plastic, providing flexibility and protection to adjacent textiles, and can be easily welded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal spring band rods are used for stabilizing, then stabilizing function is achieved, but production complexity and cost increase due to welding and lamination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive metal spring band rods with disposable plastic stabilizing elements that achieve the same stabilizing function without requiring welding or lamination. The plastic elements are designed to be used once and then discarded, eliminating complex manufacturing processes while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the metal mechanical system (spring band rods requiring welding) with a plastic-based system that uses friction and geometric interlocking instead of mechanical fastening. This eliminates the need for welding equipment and skilled labor, significantly reducing production complexity.
2Reliability
If metal stabilizing rods are used, then stabilizing function is provided, but welding difficulty and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable plastic stabilizing elements that eliminate welding entirely. The plastic elements are attached through simple friction-based insertion or geometric interlocking, making manufacture extremely easy and cost-effective compared to welding metal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, which fundamentally alters the joining method from welding to friction-based attachment. This parameter change makes the manufacturing process much simpler and more accessible to facilities without specialized welding equipment.
3Reliability
If metal spring band rods are used, then stabilizing effect is achieved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses lightweight disposable plastic elements instead of heavy metal spring band rods. The plastic material inherently provides lower weight while maintaining the stabilizing effect through geometric design and friction-based attachment, eliminating the need for heavy metal construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs plastic material that combines light weight with sufficient mechanical strength through its geometric structure. The composite design of the plastic element integrates structural support with attachment functionality, achieving stabilization without the weight penalty of metal.
4Strength
If metal stabilizing rods are used, then structural support is provided, but textile damage occurs due to metal destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses disposable plastic elements that cannot rust, corrode, or shatter like metal. These elements provide structural support without the harmful effects of metal degradation, which can produce sharp fragments that damage textile and injure users. The plastic material inherently protects the textile throughout its service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of metal degradation into a benefit by using plastic material that naturally resists degradation. The material property of plastic to remain intact without rusting or shattering transforms what would be a harmful metal characteristic into a protective feature for the textile and user.
5Ease of operation
If flat spiral springs are used, then flexibility is provided, but controlled inflection is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the plastic element to control flexibility. By adjusting the thickness, length, and cross-sectional shape of the plastic stabilizing element, precise control over the degree and direction of inflection is achieved, unlike uniform flat spiral springs that flex equally in all directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality variations in the plastic element design, with different sections having different thicknesses or structural characteristics. This allows specific regions to be more flexible while other regions provide rigidity, enabling controlled inflection patterns that adapt to specific anatomical requirements.
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 mesh belt structure allows for controlled flexibility and reduced weight, making the stabilizing rod simpler and less expensive to produce, while also protecting the adjacent textile and reducing the risk of injury from metal fragments.
Implementation Method 1
The bending section preferably has at least one mesh belt structure... The mesh belt structure preferably has a polygonal, particularly diamond-shaped or rhombic structure... the flexibility of the stabilizing rod can be influenced in an advantageous manner
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a stabilizing rod (99, 101) for an orthopedic aid, the stabilizing rod (99, 101) having a bending section (130) in the longitudinal direction, the bending section (130) having at least one mesh belt structure (131).