Wearable Frame Structure Using Deformable Hinge-Free Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable items face issues with short operating life due to wear and tear, rusting, and complexity in hinges, as well as challenges in customization and repair, leading to increased costs and material wastage.
Innovation Solution
A wearable item design featuring an elongate member with an inner core surrounded by an outer layer that experiences elastic deformation below a first elastic limit and permanent deformation above it, allowing for torsional adjustment and easy fabrication, adaptation, and repair by applying stress within specific elastic limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional hinges with moving components, pins, and screws are used to enable relative movement between parts of wearable items, then the wearable items can achieve folding and unfolding functionality, but the components are prone to wear and tear, rusting, and failure due to friction, leading to short operating life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes traditional hinge components (pins, screws, moving parts) from the wearable item structure. Instead of using separate hinge mechanisms, the frame is designed as a continuous deformable structure that enables folding and unfolding through material deformation alone, eliminating the components that cause wear and rusting
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the elastic and plastic deformation properties of the deformable material to enable hinge functionality. By changing the material parameters (elastic limit, deformability), the frame can reversibly fold and unfold without mechanical hinges, transforming the operational mechanism from mechanical movement to material deformation
2Volume of moving object
If small form factor components such as pins and screws are used in hinges, then the wearable items can achieve compact size, but the small components are more prone to rusting and wear, and difficult to make robust to excess force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the hinge functionality into the continuous deformable frame structure itself, eliminating separate small components. The frame acts as both the structural element and the hinge mechanism, combining multiple functions into a single robust deformable structure that can withstand excess force without the vulnerability of small separate parts
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional wearable items are manufactured with fixed dimensions to suit specific users, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the items cannot be customized for different users and may be deemed unusable if dimensions do not match
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the wearable item dimensions dynamic and adjustable through the deformable material properties. The frame can be manually deformed and reshaped by the user to match different head sizes and shapes, transforming the item from a static fixed-dimension product to a dynamic adaptable structure that can be customized post-manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables users to perform their own customization by allowing direct manual deformation of the deformable frame. Users can adjust the dimensions and shape of the wearable item themselves without requiring professional customization services, making the customization process simple and accessible
4Reliability
If conventional wearable items require professional repair services for minor issues such as detachment of lenses or nose pads, then repair quality is ensured, but users incur substantial costs and loss of time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables users to perform minor repairs themselves by utilizing the deformable material properties. Users can manually deform and reshape the frame, reposition detached components, and restore the item to proper function without professional intervention, eliminating time loss and repair costs while maintaining reliability through the material's inherent deformability
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
This design enhances the operating life of wearable items by reducing wear and tear, eliminating the need for complex hinges, enabling cost-effective customization, and facilitating convenient repair, thereby providing a reliable and cost-effective solution.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one outer layer is elastic when strained by application of a stress below a first elastic limit
Implementation Method 2
the at least one outer layer is configured to experience a permanent deformation when strained by application of a stress above the first elastic limit
Implementation Method 3
the inner core is configured to be elastic when strained by application of a stress below a second elastic limit
Implementation Method 4
the inner core is configured to be permanently deformed when strained by application of a stress above the second elastic limit
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4~5
AI summary
There is disclosed a wearable item. The wearable item includes at least one elongate member for supporting at least one attachable element. The elongate member is fabricated from an inner core that is surrounded by at least one outer layer. The at least one outer layer is elastic when strained by application of stress below a first elastic limit. The inner core is elastic when strained by application of stress below a second elastic limit or permanently deformed when strained by application of stress above the second elastic limit.