Upper Trunk Protector Back Plate with Strap Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Back injuries, particularly in the upper trunk region, including the upper back, spine, and lower shoulder area, remain a significant workplace safety issue due to the lack of effective protection measures, especially for individuals working in supine positions like plumbers under sinks.
Innovation Solution
A body protection device comprising a back plate, elongate straps, and a waist belt designed to distribute pressure and provide support to the upper trunk region, featuring adjustable components and optional lumbar support to alleviate discomfort and prevent injuries while in a supine position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a back plate with straps and waist belt is used to protect the upper trunk region, then protection and support for the upper back and spine are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device is divided into distinct segments: a back plate for direct protection, elongate straps for positioning and support, and a waist belt for anchoring. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The back plate serves multiple functions: it protects the upper trunk region, distributes pressure across the back, and provides structural support for the spine and shoulder area. The waist belt and straps collectively provide both positioning and stabilization functions, reducing the need for additional specialized components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If pressure distribution features are added to the back plate, then comfort and injury prevention are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The back plate incorporates localized pressure distribution features such as contoured surfaces and strategic reinforcement zones in specific areas where stress concentration occurs during supine positioning. This local quality approach provides enhanced comfort and injury prevention only where needed, rather than requiring complex features throughout the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The back plate may utilize composite material construction combining rigid protective elements with more compliant, pressure-distributing layers. This allows the plate to maintain structural integrity while providing comfort features that distribute pressure effectively, balancing manufacturing complexity with protective functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A back protector having a back plate configured to, among other things, relieve, reduce, or eliminate the stress or discomfort that can be imposed on a person's upper trunk region during certain activities. The protected areas can include the upper back, spine, and/or lower shoulder area of a person, such as a plumber, in the supine position. The upper trunk protector further includes apparatus or means for attaching the plate to the person to be protected, such as a first elongate strap and a second elongate strap each having a first end and a second end, and a waist belt. Preferably, the waist belt is attached along a bottom portion of the back plate and is configured to be worn about the person's waist, while the first elongate strap and second elongate strap are each attached at the first end to a top section of the back plate and at the second end to corresponding points on the waist belt. Related methods are described.