자세 교정 제품 설계 기술의 한국 특허 출원 경향

This study investigated the technological development of Korean functional product design for posture correction. We analyzed registered and disclosed Korean patents (n=289) of KIPRIS. They were posture correction technology patents filed from 1999 to 2018. Keywords used in patent selection were posture correction, posture correction clothing, posture correction band, rehabilitation clothing, joint protection, protective equipment, and compression wear. These were then analyzed by patent application year, product type, effect pursued, and posture correction body part. The results showed that patent applications related to posture correction technology have increased since 2014. Products subject to patents for posture correction technology were device/brace (59.5%), footwear (22.5%), and clothing (18.0%). Patents for posture correction pursued various wearing effects. The effects pursued were dependent on the product type. The device/brace focused on joint protection (76.7%) and muscle reinforcement (40.7%). Footwear was focused on joint protection (90.8%). The clothes were focused on muscle reinforcement (50.0%) and body shaping (36.5%). The clothing and device/brace for posture correction were worn on various body parts of the upper limbs to feet. The posture correction product design patent was to correct various body parts. Patents pursuing upper body correction focused on spine posture correction (n=99). Patents for foot posture correction have steadily increased (n=102). Patents for posture correction of the pelvis and hip joints were relatively few (n=46). The results of this study implied the necessity to develop technology to correct posture by combining the functions of device/brace and clothing.