Abstract
A model of a carpet installer's knee-kicker is presented. A “knee-kicker” is a tool used by a carpet installer in stretching a carpet. It consists of a rod with a knee pad on one end and barbs on the other end. During use, the tool is placed on the carpet and it is then impacted on the knee pad by the suprapatellar region of the knee of the carpet installer. The tool is modelled by a viscoelastic solid representing the knee pad and an elastic column representing the rod. The behavior of this system during a kicking cycle can be described by a pair of differential equations. Solutions to these equations are also presented. The results are compared with experimental data and with results from a biodynamic model of the carpet installer. It is found that the typical knee-kicker pad does little to attenuate the impulse of the kick stroke. Recommendations for improving the pads are suggested.
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