Support Vest with Pivot Spar Systems for Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vests restrict natural movement and cause discomfort by indiscriminately tightening around the body, affecting respiration, circulation, and movement, and fail to effectively distribute load and torque, leading to increased muscular effort and reduced equilibrium.
Innovation Solution
A support vest designed to conform to natural movements, with a semi-rigid waistband and adjustable, extendible spar members that transmit load into anatomically suitable regions, allowing for varying attachment points and minimizing interference with body systems, featuring a pad system for comfort and force distribution, and a quick-release system for ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional vests tighten around the body to transfer load, then load carrying capability is improved, but respiration and circulation are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The vest is divided into separate functional zones: rigid elements (spar members, plates) for load transfer and flexible elements (waistband, shoulder straps) for comfort and movement. This segmentation allows the rigid components to carry load while the flexible components accommodate breathing and circulation needs.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the vest have different rigidity properties - rigid spar members and plates at load-bearing points, flexible waistband and straps at contact points. This local differentiation enables effective load transfer without compromising respiratory and circulatory functions in flexible regions.
2Strength
If conventional vests use rigid structures to resist torque, then torque resistance is improved, but natural body movement is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The vest combines rigid elements for torque resistance with flexible connections (pivot systems in waistband and shoulder straps) that allow dynamic movement. The rigid spar members resist torque while the flexible waistband and shoulder straps accommodate natural body movements during locomotion.
3Force
If conventional vests encompass large areas of the body, then load distribution is improved, but transpiration is reduced causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The vest uses discrete rigid elements (spar members, plates) rather than large continuous rigid structures. This segmentation provides adequate load distribution while leaving gaps between elements that allow transpiration and reduce the feeling of being encompassed by the vest.
4Stability of the object's composition
If conventional vests fix attachment points to maintain load pitch, then load stability is improved, but wearer gait and arm movement are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot systems in the waistband and shoulder straps provide dynamic adjustment capability. These pivots allow the rigid spar members to maintain load pitch stability while accommodating natural variations in body movement during walking and arm movement, eliminating the need for restricted gait patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
A support vest configured to conform to a wearer's natural movements, allowing forces to be applied to selected areas, and permitting varying attachment points for a supported load. The support vest has a waistband, ventral and dorsal spar systems extending upward therefrom, the ventral and dorsal spar systems attached to a ventral and dorsal plate, respectively and connected to one another via should straps. Pivot systems are provided at the superior and inferior ends of the spar systems.