Helmet with composite structure
By combining a three-dimensional periodic minimal curved surface structure and a regular hexagonal honeycomb structure with 3D printing technology, the problems of insufficient helmet weight and energy absorption have been solved, and the manufacture of helmets with high energy absorption, low weight and high comfort has been achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520333213.X
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-23
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-02-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing helmets are insufficient in terms of both high energy absorption and low weight. Traditional rod-shaped structures have limited load-bearing capacity and complex manufacturing processes, making it difficult to meet the requirements for wearing comfort.
The porous outer shell with a three-dimensional periodic minimal curved surface structure and the inner lining with a regular hexagonal honeycomb structure are manufactured using 3D printing technology. Combined with ABS resin and EPS or EPP foam materials, the outer shell and inner lining are integrally molded without support, simplifying the manufacturing process.
It achieves high energy absorption characteristics and lightweight design of the helmet, reducing weight by 40-60%, while maintaining high comfort, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
Smart Images
Figure CN223695036U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model specifically relates to a composite structure helmet with high energy absorption and low weight. Background Technology
[0002] The head is one of the most vital organs in the human body. Head injuries account for one-third of hospital emergency cases and cause more than three-quarters of deaths. Therefore, helmet protection for the head is a key safety concern in all activities. A helmet's basic safety attribute requires good energy absorption; under impact loads at a certain speed, the helmet should deform to absorb as much energy as possible, thereby reducing head injury.
[0003] A helmet typically consists of an outer shell, a middle cushioning layer, and an inner comfort liner, along with other accessories such as goggles and visors. The outer shell and cushioning layer are primarily responsible for absorbing impact energy. Traditional manufacturing processes for helmet components mainly involve mold-based methods such as casting and injection molding.
[0004] With technological advancements, people have placed higher demands on the comfort of helmets. Therefore, given the same basic materials, the key technology in developing safe and comfortable helmets lies in how to design geometric structures to achieve both high energy absorption and low weight.
[0005] For example, invention patent CN115868706A discloses a helmet design with an outer, middle, and inner three-layer lattice structure. All three layers adopt a rod-shaped lattice structure design with negative Poisson's ratio. The negative Poisson's ratio structure will collapse and absorb energy when subjected to impact, which has effective energy dissipation and impact resistance. However, the load-bearing capacity of the rod-shaped structure is limited. Utility Model Content
[0006] In view of this, in order to solve the problems of the prior art, this utility model provides an improved composite structure helmet that combines high energy absorption characteristics with light weight and high comfort.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0008] A composite structure helmet includes an outer shell and an inner liner, both of which have porous structures. The porous structure of the outer shell is a three-dimensional periodic minimal curved surface structure, and the porous structure of the inner liner is a regular hexagonal honeycomb structure. Both the outer shell and the inner liner are fabricated using 3D printing technology.
[0009] Compared to one-dimensional rod-shaped lattices, two-dimensional curved surface structures characterized by extremely small curved surfaces exhibit uniform deformation characteristics and higher energy absorption properties, ensuring uniform absorption of high energy under impact conditions. Furthermore, this application utilizes 3D printing technology to create a single-piece shell, replacing the traditional helmet shell and buffer layer, reducing weight and simplifying the manufacturing process and cost.
[0010] According to some preferred embodiments of this utility model, the triaxial periodic minimal surface structure is a D-type and / or G-type TPMS structure. D-type and G-type TPMS structures are more suitable for applications requiring energy absorption and lightweight design in helmets. While meeting the requirements of both lightweight design and load-bearing capacity, the helmet weight can be reduced by 40-60%, while ensuring load loss is within 8%.
[0011] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the cell size of the D-type and G-type TPMS structures is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the shell thickness.
[0012] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the wall thickness in the D-type and G-type TPMS structures is 1 / 10-1 / 5 of the cell size.
[0013] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the side length of the regular hexagon of the honeycomb structure is 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the lining thickness.
[0014] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the thickness of the regular hexagon of the honeycomb structure is 1 / 8 to 1 / 5 of the side length.
[0015] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, an adhesive layer for bonding the outer shell and the inner liner is provided between the outer shell and the inner liner.
[0016] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the tensile strength of the adhesive layer is >60MPa and the shear strength is >60MPa.
[0017] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the thickness of the outer shell is 8-20 mm; the thickness of the inner lining is 10-25 mm.
[0018] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the outer shell is made of ABS resin; the inner lining is made of EPS or EPP foam material.
[0019] According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the hexagonal holes of the honeycomb structure on the inner liner are continuous along the front-rear direction of the helmet to achieve the best cushioning and shock absorption effect, while reducing the pressure of the helmet's own weight on the head and improving the comfort of the helmet.
[0020] According to some preferred embodiments of this utility model, the outer shell is prepared using laser stereolithography; the inner lining is prepared using fused deposition modeling (FDM). When printing the outer shell, the top of the helmet serves as the printing reference, and the TPMS structure has a uniformly transitioning arc surface, avoiding low-angle overhangs and enabling supportless printing of the helmet, thus eliminating the need for post-processing steps such as support removal after printing.
[0021] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are: the composite structure helmet of this utility model includes a porous shell with a three-dimensional periodic minimal curved surface structure and an inner liner with a regular hexagonal honeycomb structure, and the resulting composite structure helmet has both high energy absorption characteristics and light weight and high comfort. Attached Figure Description
[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0023] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the composite structure helmet in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cell structure of the D-type and G-type TPMS structure of the shell and the cross-sectional shape of the helmet wall thickness in the preferred embodiment of this utility model;
[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the honeycomb structure of the inner lining in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the lining in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] Of which: outer shell-1, inner lining-2. Detailed Implementation
[0028] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this utility model, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.
[0029] like Figure 1-4As shown, the composite structure helmet of this embodiment includes an outer shell, an inner liner, and an adhesive layer located between the outer shell and the inner liner, the adhesive layer being used to bond the outer shell and the inner liner. Preferably, the composite structure helmet also includes conventional accessories such as a seat belt and goggles.
[0030] Both the outer shell and the inner liner have porous structures. The outer shell has a triaxial periodic minimal surface (TPMS) porous structure, while the inner liner has a regular hexagonal honeycomb structure. In this embodiment, the hexagonal holes of the honeycomb structure on the inner liner extend along the front-to-back direction of the helmet, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the design extends horizontally and is perpendicular to the height of the helmet to achieve optimal cushioning and shock absorption, while also reducing the pressure of the helmet's weight on the head and improving helmet comfort.
[0031] In this embodiment, the three-dimensional periodic minimal curved surface structure of the shell is a D-type and / or G-type TPMS structure. D-type and G-type TPMS structures are more suitable for applications requiring energy absorption and lightweight design in helmets. While meeting the requirements of both lightweight design and load-bearing capacity, compared to a solid structure without TPMS, the helmet weight can be reduced by 40-60%, while ensuring load-bearing loss is within 8%.
[0032] Depending on the potential impact energy encountered in different usage scenarios, the outer shell and inner liner should be designed with different thickness ranges. For example, the thickness ranges for ordinary motorcycle helmets or electric bicycle helmets are 8-15mm and 10-20mm respectively; for racing helmets, the thickness ranges are 10-20mm and 15-25mm respectively. The lateral and longitudinal height dimensions of the helmet can be uniformly designed based on head size statistics, or they can be personalized according to individual head shapes. For example, reverse engineering technology can be used to obtain a personalized three-dimensional model structure of the head to provide highly comfortable personalized helmet manufacturing.
[0033] Preferably, the cell size of the D-type and G-type TPMS structures is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the shell thickness; the wall thickness in the D-type and G-type TPMS structures is 1 / 10 to 1 / 5 of the cell size. The side length of the regular hexagon in the honeycomb structure is 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the inner lining thickness; the wall thickness of the regular hexagon in the honeycomb structure is 1 / 8 to 1 / 5 of the side length.
[0034] In this embodiment, both the outer shell and the inner lining are prepared using 3D printing technology, but the specific printing technologies for the outer shell and the inner lining are different, as follows:
[0035] The outer shell is made of photocurable ABS resin and is manufactured using stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing technology. The SLA printing process involves ultraviolet laser with a power of 100-150W, a scanning speed of 200-400mm / s, and a layer thickness of 0.1mm.
[0036] During printing, the top of the helmet serves as the printing reference, and the TPMS structure features a uniformly curved transition, avoiding low-angle overhangs and enabling supportless printing of the helmet. This eliminates the need for post-processing steps such as removing supports after printing.
[0037] The lining is made of EPS or EPP foam material and is prepared by fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. The FDM printing parameters are: printing spray temperature 190-230℃, printing layer thickness 0.15-0.25mm, and printing speed 40-60mm / s.
[0038] During fabrication, the outer shell and inner liner are printed separately. After cleaning and drying the printed helmet shell and inner liner, they are joined together using a high-strength adhesive (with an adhesion strength greater than or equal to 100 MPa). The selected adhesive has a tensile strength >60 MPa and a shear strength >60 MPa.
[0039] Implementation Case 1
[0040] The helmet shell is 10mm thick, with a D-type TPMS structure, a cell size of 5mm, and a cell wall thickness of 0.8mm. Compared to a solid structure without TPMS, the weight is reduced by 42%, and the static load is 96% of the original.
[0041] The inner lining has a honeycomb structure with a thickness of 15mm. The hexagonal honeycomb cells are 5mm long and 1mm thick.
[0042] Implementation Case 2
[0043] The helmet shell is 12mm thick, with a G-type TPMS structure, a cell size of 5mm, and a cell wall thickness of 0.8mm. Compared to a solid structure without TPMS, the weight is reduced by 48%, and the static pressure load is 95% of the original.
[0044] The inner lining has a honeycomb structure with a thickness of 15mm. The hexagonal honeycomb cells are 5mm long and 1mm thick.
[0045] Implementation Case 3
[0046] The helmet shell is 18mm thick, with a D-type TPMS structure, a cell size of 8mm, and a cell wall thickness of 1mm. Compared to a solid structure without TPMS, the weight is reduced by 46%, and the static load is 97% of the original.
[0047] The inner lining has a honeycomb structure with a thickness of 20mm. The hexagonal honeycomb cells are 8mm long and 1mm thick.
[0048] Implementation Case 4
[0049] The helmet shell is 20mm thick, with a G-type TPMS structure, a cell size of 8mm, and a cell wall thickness of 0.8mm. Compared to a solid structure without TPMS, the weight is reduced by 55%, and the static pressure load is 92% of the original.
[0050] The inner lining has a honeycomb structure with a thickness of 20mm. The hexagonal honeycomb cells are 8mm long and 1mm thick.
[0051] As can be seen from the above implementation cases, the helmet shell using the TPMS structure has a significant weight reduction effect, while the load test results show that the load-bearing capacity of the solid structure is basically maintained.
[0052] This invention discloses a composite structure helmet comprising a porous outer shell with a three-dimensional periodic minimal curved surface structure and an inner liner with a hexagonal honeycomb structure. Combined with appropriate materials, this ensures the helmet exhibits high strength and high plastic deformation under impact loads, resulting in a composite structure helmet that combines high energy absorption characteristics with lightweight and high comfort. Compared to one-dimensional rod-shaped lattices, the two-dimensional curved surface structure characterized by minimal curved surfaces possesses uniform deformation characteristics and higher energy absorption properties, ensuring uniform absorption of high energy during impact accidents. Furthermore, this application utilizes 3D printing technology to achieve one-piece molding of the outer shell, replacing the traditional helmet shell and buffer layer, reducing weight, simplifying the manufacturing process and cost, and facilitating mass production in factories.
[0053] Employing a porous lattice structure in helmet design and manufacturing is a feasible strategy to improve the helmet's shock absorption and energy absorption performance while simultaneously reducing weight and improving lightness. This invention achieves a helmet with both high energy absorption and lightweight comfort through a porous lattice structure design for both the outer shell and inner lining. The outer shell and inner lining are manufactured using different 3D printing processes. In this invention, the helmet shell combines the impact resistance and cushioning energy absorption functions of a conventional helmet, while the inner lining primarily enhances head comfort. Therefore, the porous structures of the outer shell and inner lining are designed as minimally oriented surface mat (TPMS) and honeycomb structures, respectively. The porous structure design of the helmet shell and inner lining is achieved through supportless printing using different 3D printing methods. This results in high energy absorption while maintaining lightweight construction.
[0054] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this utility model. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this utility model and implement it accordingly. They should not be used to limit the protection scope of this utility model. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.
Claims
1. A composite structure helmet, characterized in that, It includes an outer shell and an inner liner, both of which have porous structures. The porous structure of the outer shell is a three-dimensional periodic minimal curved surface structure, and the porous structure of the inner liner is a regular hexagonal honeycomb structure.
2. The composite structure helmet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The triaxial periodic minimal surface structure is a D-type and / or G-type TPMS structure.
3. The composite structure helmet according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cell size of the D-type and G-type TPMS structures is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the shell thickness.
4. The composite structure helmet according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wall thickness in the D-type and G-type TPMS structures is 1 / 10 to 1 / 5 of the cell size.
5. The composite structure helmet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side length of the regular hexagon in the honeycomb structure is 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the lining thickness.
6. The composite structure helmet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the regular hexagon in the honeycomb structure is 1 / 8 to 1 / 5 of the side length.
7. The composite structure helmet according to claim 1, characterized in that, There is an adhesive layer between the outer shell and the inner liner for bonding the outer shell and the inner liner.
8. The composite structure helmet according to claim 7, characterized in that, The tensile strength of the adhesive layer is >60MPa, and the shear strength is >60MPa.
9. The composite structure helmet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer shell has a thickness of 8-20 mm; the inner lining has a thickness of 10-25 mm.
10. The composite structure helmet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer shell is made of ABS resin; the inner lining is made of EPS or EPP foam material.
11. The composite structure helmet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hexagonal holes of the honeycomb structure on the inner lining extend along the front-to-back direction of the helmet.
12. The composite structure helmet according to any one of claims 1-11, characterized in that, The outer shell is prepared using laser stereolithography; the inner lining is prepared using fused deposition modeling.