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Garden Kneeler Prototype (New Design)
Dylan1234
Posts: 18
Hi all,
I am a student currently in sixth form and for one of my A levels I have researched, designed and built a prototype version of my final product. The main aim of this product is to help people garden at low levels, such as when weeding, improving upon the current garden kneeler design. I have attached some images of the prototype and would love to hear your guys’ thoughts on it! If you have any questions about the unit please ask, thank you very much and your feedback is very much appreciated!
Dylan
0
Posts
Hi, thank you for the feedback! hahaha.
I received similar feedback on putting on/taking off the harness from the person testing the kneeler (in the pictures). I was considering replasing the "rucksack-style straps" with something that could clip round the front, similarly to the "four point racing harness" - see the photo below. This should make the harness much easier to put on.
Last edited: 27 February 2018 15:32:51
I'm not worried about falling flat on my face when I kneel to garden so wouldn't use the elastic bit. What does concern me is getting back up again and I don't see anything in that design to push me back up.
I imagine that when I get to that state it will be easiest to roll over on my bum and be pulled up or else I can get into crawl position and pull myself up, one leg at a time, with a handy spade, fork or chair.
Having the two side "arms" would probably restrict my movement too much. Maybe you could include a device we can grip while we haul ourselves up.
Well done tho for coming up with a positive idea and also making a prototype. Good luck with it.
(Ignore this message)
Last edited: 27 February 2018 15:33:22
Thank you for the feedback Obelixx, the main purpose of the elastic part is not to prevent the user from falling over, but more to:
1) take their wight off of strained muscles, transferring it onto the frame of the kneeler
2) to allow them to garden further away from the kneeler
Because they can garden further out, the arms do not get in the way of gardening. There is also a sizeable amount of space between them in which the user can move (540mm)
The handles are also then positioned (similarly to existing garden kneelers - see the picture below) so that they help the user to get up and kneel down.
OK. That's good. But the handles don't suit this particular kneeling gardener. I tried one like yours in the photo and opted for a simple kneeling mat which I only need when weeding from a hard surface such as a path, not when at lawn edge - unless it's sopping wet or very cold of course.
At the moment I don't need help getting back up but would assume that if my knees are shot and my arms aren't strong enough to hold me in place they're not strong enough to heave me up either. people with arthritic knees often have arthritic shoulders too.
Having toppled over from a garden kneeler I wonder if a broader kneeling section would help?
Anyone got any ideas on this?
Joyce - yes, that's one of the problems. Too narrow all round.
Pansy - behave! They're for people on their bums. Funny tho.
Hi, with this design, it is not actually the kneeling section that is in contact with the ground, it is the aluminium frame. This extends past the kneeling plate (see the picture below) providing plenty of stability and preventing the kneeler from toppling forwards. These two feet are also quite wide apart to stop the unit toppling the other way too. I can assure you that the unit is very stable with its three points of contact on the ground, even on slopes and uneven ground.
Clearly you've given this a lot of thought so well done you but for me personally I'd like to see the kneeling pad a bit larger - wider and deeper - and maybe have those side pieces hinged so they can be up or down according to preference. Gardeners tend to work sideways too so being able to shift them would be good.
Fair enough, I better understand your point now. Thank you for the feedback and suggestion!