Variable Resistance Beam Stiffness Adjustment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing equipment and devices, such as sports gear, medical devices, and fitness equipment, lack the ability to dynamically adjust stiffness and flexibility, limiting user performance and requiring multiple devices to accommodate varying conditions and user needs.
Innovation Solution
A variable resistance beam or rod technology that allows for real-time adjustment of stiffness and flexibility through mechanical methods or hand positioning, enabling equipment to be customized for specific applications and user requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pieces of sporting or fitness equipment with different stiffness characteristics are provided, then user customization and performance enhancement are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the shaft stiffness adjustable rather than fixed. The golf shaft incorporates a mechanism that allows the user to change the stiffness characteristic dynamically during play, transforming a static property into a variable one. This resolves the contradiction by providing multiple stiffness options within a single device rather than requiring multiple separate equipment pieces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes a single golf shaft capable of performing multiple stiffness functions that would otherwise require different shafts. By integrating an adjustable stiffness mechanism, one shaft can serve the roles of multiple shafts with different flexibility characteristics, thereby reducing the number of devices needed while maintaining adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pieces of sporting or fitness equipment are kept available for switching, then performance adaptability is improved, but ease of operation and accessibility worsen due to limited availability
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable stiffness mechanism allows the user to change equipment characteristics on-demand without needing to physically switch between multiple pre-made equipment pieces. The dynamic adjustment capability means the single shaft can adapt to different playing conditions, eliminating the need to have multiple shafts physically available.
3Reliability
If equipment stiffness is fixed by manufacturer design, then manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but adaptability to user needs and changing conditions worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the fixed stiffness design into a dynamic, adjustable system. The shaft incorporates mechanical elements that allow the user to modify the stiffness characteristic while maintaining reliable, repeatable adjustments. This resolves the contradiction by preserving manufacturing precision in the adjustment mechanism while enabling adaptability through user-controlled variation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the stiffness parameter from a fixed value determined by manufacturing to a variable parameter that can be adjusted by the user. The mechanism allows modification of the shaft's mechanical properties without changing the physical shaft itself, enabling parameter changes while maintaining the integrity of the original manufactured component.
Data Source
AI summary
A resilient rod that provides adjustable directional resistance is disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, a resistance level may be determined based on a thickness of the rod and a position of an applied force with respect to a fulcrum point. In another aspect of the invention, at least one spine may be attached to the beam to increase a diameter of the beam along one axis. A resistance level may be determined based on a thickness of the rod, a position of an applied force and an orientation of the at least one spine with regard to the direction of the applied force. In other aspects of the invention, the resilient rods may be incorporated into various equipment that provide for adjustable resistance levels. In still other aspects of the invention, the resilient rod may be incorporated into medical devices that provide adjustable support for injured limbs or joints.