Upper Body Support Jack With Telescoping Rod for Kneeling Work
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices fail to provide adequate upper body support for individuals working on their hands and knees, leading to significant lower back, knee, and wrist pain due to inadequate distribution of body weight and strain.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a base with a chest pad, adjustable telescoping support rod, and ball-and-socket joint, allowing for adjustable positioning and distribution of weight, combined with shoulder and back straps for secure fit, to alleviate strain and enable free hand use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a person works on their hands and knees without support, then they can maintain the working position, but they suffer great lower back, knee and wrist pain from long hours of working in that position
Solution Approach 1:
The back jack device provides counterbalancing support to the upper body weight through a mechanical jack system. The jack generates an upward support force that counteracts the downward gravitational force on the torso, effectively reducing the load on the hands, wrists, knees and lower back, thereby eliminating the harmful effects while maintaining working position.
Solution Approach 2:
The back jack acts as an intermediary mechanical device between the ground and the upper body. Instead of the hands and knees directly supporting the upper body weight, the jack serves as a mediating support structure that transfers and distributes the weight, reducing the stress on vulnerable body parts while enabling continued work in the hands-and-knees position.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the upper body weight is supported by hands and knees, then the working position is maintained, but strain and pain is concentrated on specific body parts
Solution Approach 1:
The device changes the mechanical parameters of the support system by introducing a jack mechanism that alters how body weight is distributed. Instead of concentrating force on small contact areas (hands, knees), the jack redistributes the load through its mechanical advantage system, changing the pressure distribution to reduce stress on vulnerable body parts while maintaining position stability.
3Ease of operation
If no upper body support is used, then the device complexity is low, but the ability to use both hands for working is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The back jack device is segmented into distinct functional components: a base for ground contact, a telescoping jack mechanism for height adjustment, a platform for upper body support, and handrests for additional support. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, providing comprehensive support that frees both hands for work while keeping the overall device manageable in complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The Back Jack is an upper body support to be used when a person is working on their hands and knees. The Back Jack has a base with a chest pad on one side and a support rod pivotally mounted on the other side. The chest pad is made of a high quality or memory foam and covered with a vinyl material. The support rod pivot joint can be locked in a working position perpendicular to the base, a transport position parallel to the base, and one or more intermediate positions. The support rod is made of telescoping sections to accommodate workers of different heights. The telescoping sections are adjusted by a spring pin fixed to an inner shaft which fits through holes in an outer shaft. A pivoting rubber foot is mounted to the bottom of the inner shaft.