Thigh-Supported Mobility Device With Impact Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Axillary crutches pose challenges for users with limited mobility due to leg injuries, including difficulty with routine activities, stair navigation, and potential for pain and nerve damage, while alternative devices like push scooters and knee braces have limitations such as excessive knee pressure or inability to navigate stairs smoothly.

Innovation Solution

A mobility device featuring a rod with a slidably mounted foot rest, a seat at the upper end, an impact-absorbing mechanism, and adjustable components to secure the thigh and foot, allowing hands-free use and distributing weight away from the injured leg, enabling safe navigation of stairs and uneven terrain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If axillary crutches are used to support the user, then the user can walk with support, but the user cannot use their hands and arms for routine activities and may experience pain and nerve damage in the axilla

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehands-free capabilityVSAvoidpressure on axilla and loss of hand function

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the weight-bearing function from the axilla region and relocates it to the thigh and foot areas. The seat structure transfers the user's weight to the thigh, while the foot rest and rod provide additional support, eliminating pressure on the axilla and freeing the hands for other activities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobility device acts as an intermediary between the user's body and the ground. The seat, rod, foot rest, and impact-absorbing mechanism work together as a mediating system that distributes forces through the thigh and foot rather than directly through the axilla, preventing nerve damage and discomfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If push scooters are used to replace axillary crutches, then hands-free use is enabled, but the devices are difficult to manage indoors and in small spaces due to size and weight

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehands-free capabilityVSAvoidsize and weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mobility device is segmented into distinct functional components: a seat for weight bearing, a rod for structural support, a foot rest for additional support, and an impact-absorbing mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and enables the overall device to be more compact and manageable than full-size push scooters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The foot rest is designed to be slidably mounted on the rod, allowing it to move dynamically along the longitudinal axis. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the device to adapt to different user needs and spatial constraints, making it more versatile in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If knee braces or knee scooters are used to transfer weight to the knee, then hands-free walking is enabled, but excessive pressure is applied to the knee joint

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehands-free capabilityVSAvoidpressure on knee

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the weight-bearing function from the knee joint and relocates it to the thigh and foot areas. The seat structure transfers weight to the thigh, while the foot rest and rod provide additional support, eliminating excessive pressure on the knee and allowing natural knee movement during walking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Productivity

If axillary crutches are used to provide support, then mobility is enabled, but scaling stairs is very difficult and sometimes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemobility supportVSAvoidstair navigation capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The seat is positioned to provide preliminary weight support before the user needs to navigate stairs. This preliminary support reduces the effort required to lift the body weight during stair ascent, making stair navigation significantly easier compared to axillary crutches where the user must support their entire body weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 mobility device allows users to maintain an active lifestyle with reduced pressure on the injured leg, facilitating hands-free use, safe stair navigation, and a natural gait, while being adjustable for various user sizes and weights, and providing data monitoring for rehabilitation progress.

Implementation Method 1

an impact-absorbing mechanism for absorbing impacts transferred from the seat to the rod

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact absorption: Damping

Data Source

PatentUS10441493B2Mobility device

Publication Date: 2019.10.15 PURDUE RES FOUND

AI summary

A mobility device for assisting an individual with limited or altered mobility due to a leg injury or condition. The mobility device includes a rod that defines a longitudinal axis of the mobility device, a foot rest slidably mounted for longitudinal translation along the rod, a seat located at an upper end of the mobility device, and an impact-absorbing mechanism for absorbing impacts transferred from the seat to the rod. The device is configured for securing the thigh of the user's leg to the seat, and securing the foot of the user's leg to the foot rest.