Trapezoidal Muscle Flexion Device for Minimal-Contact Dorsiflexion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing muscle stretching devices require significant material interaction and do not effectively induce optimal muscle stretches with minimal material contact.
Innovation Solution
A polyhedron with a trapezoidal cross-section and angled slanted face is used to induce dorsiflexion in the posterior leg during the normal gait cycle, allowing the posterior foot to contact both the slanted face and a support surface while the anterior foot is positioned forward, with the center of gravity over the muscle group.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional stretching devices (slant boards, ankle rocking devices, elastic bands) are used, then muscle stretching can be achieved, but significant material interaction and device complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential geometric feature (angled face) needed for stretching, eliminating unnecessary device components. The block contains merely an angled face positioned at the optimal angle of 40° to 48°, removing extraneous mechanisms while preserving stretching effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The user's own body weight and gait cycle provide the stretching force, eliminating the need for external mechanical assistance. The angled block simply guides the foot position, while the user's natural movement performs the stretching action.
2Reliability
If traditional stretching devices are used, then muscle stretching can be achieved, but the amount of material interaction is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention reduces material interaction to only what is essential - a single angled surface contact. All other device components that would increase material contact are removed, leaving only the critical angled face at 40° to 48°.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using multiple contact points or complex mechanisms to achieve stretching, the invention inverts the approach by using minimal contact (single angled face) to leverage the user's body weight and natural gait for stretching effectiveness.
3Reliability
If the polyhedron is configured to place center of gravity over the muscle, then stretching effectiveness is maximized, but device positioning precision must be high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the angle parameter of the block's face to 40° to 48°, which is the optimal range for achieving effective stretching. This parameter optimization ensures that even with variations in positioning, the stretching effectiveness is maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The block extends beyond the minimum necessary dimensions to provide a larger contact area and more forgiving positioning tolerance, reducing the need for precise placement while maintaining stretching effectiveness.
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 device efficiently stretches key leg muscles with minimal material interaction, maximizing force transfer and maintaining stability during the gait cycle, enabling adjustable levels of dorsiflexion without changing the device's height.
Implementation Method 1
the polyhedron is configured to place a center of gravity of the human user over at least one muscle in the posterior leg
Data Source
AI summary
A muscle flexion device may comprise a polyhedron having a trapezoidal cross-section having a slanted face that is angled with respect to a support surface and a face perpendicular to the support surface, wherein the at least one slanted face is configured to induce dorsiflexion in a posterior leg of a human user positioned in the normal gait cycle, wherein the posterior leg has a posterior foot, wherein when the posterior foot is in contact with both the support surface and the at least one slanted face, and the anterior foot is positioned anteriorly of the perpendicular face.