Buffer structure and supporter equipped therewith

Abstract

To provide a cushioning structure with high impact reduction performance.SOLUTION: A cushioning structure 10 includes a plurality of warp yarns 30 made of synthetic resin, radially extending from a central part 26 to an outer peripheral part 27 with respect to a reference plane, and a plurality of weft yarns 40 made of synthetic resin, extending in a circumferential direction so as to connect between the adjacent warp yarns 30 with respect to the reference plane. Each of the warp yarns 30 has an upper warp yarn portion 31 and a lower warp yarn portion 32, where the upper warp yarn portion 31 and the lower warp yarn portion 32 are rod-like structures provided at a prescribed interval in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane. Each weft yarn 40 is a plate-like structure connected to the upper warp yarn portion 31 and the lower warp yarn portion 32 of each of the adjacent warp yarns 30, and has a bent cross-sectional shape in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane. The cushioning structure 10, as a whole, has a flat shape extending along the reference plane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a buffer structure, a supporter provided with the same, and particularly a supporter attached to a face protector for kendo.

Background Art

[0002] In kendo, in order to protect competitors from blows by a bamboo sword, protective gear including a face, a torso, forearms, and a skirt is worn. The face protector that protects the head includes a face cushion that protects from the top of the head through the sides of the head to the shoulders, a faceplate formed of lattice-shaped metal that protects the face part, and a throat guard that protects the throat and neck. Among these, the face cushion generally has a structure in which a core material such as cotton is laminated between the fabrics constituting the front and back surfaces, and is a material with a thickness of about 1 cm. The face cushion functions to mitigate the impact transmitted from the blow of the bamboo sword to the competitor's head, but it can be said that its performance is not sufficient. For this reason, various proposals have been made for face protectors with improved shock-absorbing performance. However, in kendo, there is a tendency to value tradition and culture, so it is strongly required that the shape, appearance, etc. do not change from the conventional face protector.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses the following technique as a method for obtaining a face protector for kendo that has a shock-absorbing function, has the same appearance as the conventional one, and is excellent in water absorption and breathability. That is, a fabric is laminated on the front and back surfaces of a core material sandwiched with softened raw leather to form a laminate, and the laminate is sewn by stab stitching and formed into a predetermined shape before the softened raw leather dries. Then, the laminate is held in a predetermined shape and the softened raw leather is dried. It is said that a face cushion that meets the above conditions can be obtained by such a method.

[0004] In recent years, in relation to contact sports including kendo, there have been reports that as a result of continuous blows to the head over many years, brain disorders and hearing loss occur. For this reason, it is required to further reduce the impact on the head.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-051053 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The present invention aims to reduce impact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, the buffer structure comprises a plurality of warp thread portions made of synthetic resin extending radially from the central part to the outer periphery with respect to a reference plane, and a plurality of weft thread portions made of synthetic resin extending circumferentially to connect adjacent warp thread portions with respect to the reference plane, each of the warp thread portions having an upper warp thread portion and a lower warp thread portion, the upper warp thread portion and the lower warp thread portion being rod-shaped structures provided at a predetermined interval in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane, and the weft thread portion being a plate-shaped structure connected to the upper warp thread portion and the lower warp thread portion of each of the adjacent warp thread portions having a bent cross-sectional shape in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane, and having a flattened shape that spreads along the reference plane as a whole. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, impact can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the structure of a buffer structure according to one embodiment, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a front view. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an example of a buffer structure according to one embodiment, where (a) shows the AA cross-section shown in Figure 1(b), and (b) shows the BB cross-section shown in Figure 1(a). [Figure 3]Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a supporter according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for attaching a supporter to a face guard according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the apparatus used in the experiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows a spiderweb-type buffer structure according to an embodiment used in the experiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows a honeycomb-structured buffer structure related to the comparative example used in the experiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of the measurement results of impact acceleration obtained through an experiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] One embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment relates to a cushioning structure. This embodiment also relates to a mounting device for attaching the cushioning structure to a kendo face guard, and to a supporter having the cushioning structure and the mounting device. The cushioning structure of this embodiment is configured to absorb instantaneous impacts such as kendo face strikes. The supporter of this embodiment is configured to be easily attached to the outer upper part of the face guard that receives face strikes. The supporter of this embodiment is configured to effectively reduce the impact on the wearer's head from face strikes by the cushioning structure. This supporter is worn, for example, by the motodachi (master) who continuously receives face strikes during kendo practice. By wearing this supporter, it is expected that brain damage and hearing loss that may occur in the motodachi who continuously receives face strikes will be prevented.

[0011] [Structure of the buffer structure] The structure of the buffer structure 10 according to this embodiment will now be described. Figure 1 shows the structure of the buffer structure 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 1(a) is a plan view, and Figure 1(b) is a front view. Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the buffer structure 10. Figure 2(a) shows the AA section shown in Figure 1(b), and Figure 2(b) shows the BB section shown in Figure 1(a).

[0012] The buffer structure 10 is made of a flexible synthetic resin. The buffer structure 10 is made of, for example, silicone resin, polyurethane resin, or various elastomer resins. The buffer structure 10 has a flattened shape, as shown in Figure 1. The planar shape of the buffer structure 10 is generally a regular octagon.

[0013] When considering a reference plane parallel to the plane of paper in Figure 1(a), the planar shape of the buffer structure 10 comprises eight warp threads 30 extending radially from the central part 26 to the outer periphery 27, and weft threads 40 extending circumferentially to connect adjacent warp threads 30 at three points between the outer periphery 27 and the central part 26 and the outer periphery 27. Thus, the buffer structure 10 has a spiderweb-like structure. The four weft threads 40 extending from the outer periphery 27 to the central part 26 will be referred to as the first weft thread 41, the second weft thread 42, the third weft thread 43, and the fourth weft thread 44, respectively. The buffer structure 10 has a rotationally symmetric shape with 8 rotations symmetric with respect to an axis passing through the central part 26 and perpendicular to the reference plane. Furthermore, the buffer structure 10 has a planar symmetric shape with respect to the reference plane passing through the center in the thickness direction, that is, the center in the axial direction as described above.

[0014] While not limited to this, the size of the cushioning structure 10 is, for example, approximately 70mm-130mm in its maximum length and width, for example, approximately 100mm. The thickness of the cushioning structure 10 is approximately 10mm-30mm, for example, approximately 15mm. A size of approximately 100mm x 100mm is sufficient to cover the range of a standard head strike in kendo. Furthermore, in the cushioning structure 10 of this embodiment, four horizontal thread portions 40 are provided from the outer circumference 27 to the central portion 26, so the spacing between the horizontal thread portions 40 is, for example, approximately 7mm-20mm, for example, approximately 10mm-15mm. Since the diameter of the tip of a kendo bamboo sword is 25mm, if the spacing between the horizontal thread portions 40 is as described above, the tip of the bamboo sword will not get stuck between the vertical thread portions 30 and the horizontal thread portions 40. This prevents damage to the cushioning structure 10 and the bamboo sword that may occur if the tip of the bamboo sword gets stuck between the vertical thread portions 30 and the horizontal thread portions 40.

[0015] The warp portion 30 has an upper warp portion 31, which is a rod-shaped structure provided radially along the upper surface 21 of the buffer structure 10 from the central portion 26 to the outer periphery 27, and a lower warp portion 32, which is a rod-shaped structure provided radially along the lower surface 22 of the buffer structure 10 from the central portion 26 to the outer periphery 27. The upper warp portion 31 and the lower warp portion 32 have a certain width. A space 33 is provided between the upper warp portion 31 and the lower warp portion 32. As shown in Figure 1(b), when the buffer structure 10 is viewed from the front, hexagonal through holes are opened in the buffer structure 10 along the warp portion 30.

[0016] The horizontal yarn portion 40 is a plate-like structure provided so as to extend between adjacent vertical yarn portions 30 from the upper surface 21 to the lower surface 22 of the buffer structure 10. The portions corresponding to the four corners of each plate-like horizontal yarn portion 40 are connected to the upper vertical yarn portion 31 or the lower vertical yarn portion 32. Both longitudinal ends of the outermost peripheral first horizontal yarn portion 41 are connected to the ends of the vertical yarn portion 30. The upper surface of the vertical yarn portion 30 and the upper surface of the horizontal yarn portion 40 form the same plane and form the upper surface 21 of the buffer structure 10. The lower surface of the vertical yarn portion 30 and the lower surface of the horizontal yarn portion 40 form the same plane and form the lower surface 22 of the buffer structure 10. The central portion of each horizontal yarn portion 40 in the thickness direction is located outside the buffer structure 10 relative to the upper and lower portions. That is, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane of each horizontal yarn portion 40 has a bent shape like a "く" character. A hexagonal through-hole 45 is provided in the central portion of the plate-like structure of the innermost peripheral fourth horizontal yarn portion 44. Since the fourth horizontal yarn portion 44 has a relatively short perimeter and is less likely to be crushed in the vertical direction as described later, it is configured to be easily crushed in the vertical direction by providing the through-hole 45.

[0017] When a force is applied to the buffer structure 10 in the vertical direction, the horizontal yarn portion 40, which is the vertical support structure of the buffer structure 10, further bends at the bent portion in the central portion in the vertical direction and is deformed so as to be crushed in the vertical direction. The horizontal yarn portion 40 functions like a spring in the vertical direction. Since there is no support structure between the upper vertical yarn portion 31 and the lower vertical yarn portion 32 in the vertical yarn portion 30, the distance between the upper vertical yarn portion 31 and the lower vertical yarn portion 32 is reduced according to the deformation of the horizontal yarn portion 40. When an impact is applied to the buffer structure 10 in the vertical direction, the buffer structure 10 absorbs the impact by the above-described deformation and exhibits a buffering function. In the buffer structure 10, the horizontal yarn portion 40 has a plate shape bent like a "く" character, and a space 33 is provided between the upper vertical yarn portion 31 and the lower vertical yarn portion 32 so that the vertical yarn portion 30 is hollowed out at the central portion in the thickness direction. Therefore, high impact absorption performance can be obtained. <S

[0018] Moreover, by having a spider web-like structure in the shape of a regular octagon, impact dispersion performance can be obtained. For example, the impact on the central portion 26 where the impact of face strikes can be highest is dispersed radially. Also, since the buffer structure 10 has large gaps, it is lightweight. Since the thickness of the buffer structure 10 is, for example, about 15 mm, in the case of deformation due to standard strikes in kendo, the upper vertical yarn portion 31 and the lower vertical yarn portion 32 of the vertical yarn portion 30 do not come into contact, and sufficient buffer performance is obtained so that a strong impact is not transmitted to the head.

[0019] In the buffer structure 10 of the present embodiment, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the horizontal yarn portion 40 has a shape like a "く" character. According to experiments, compared with the case where the horizontal yarn portion 40 has an "I" - shaped structure perpendicular to the upper surface 21 and the lower surface 22, the equivalent spring constant of the entire buffer structure 10 having the "く" - shaped horizontal yarn portion 40 of the present embodiment is 66.7% lower.

[0020] Since the buffer structure 10 has a shape where the corners of the regular octagon are hollowed out, there are no sharp and hard parts, and even when the buffer structure 10 hits the face or the like, it has a structure that is less likely to cause injuries.

[0021] Various methods can be used to manufacture the buffer structure 10. For example, the buffer structure 10 may be formed using a 3D printer. Also, the buffer structure 10 has a shape symmetric with respect to a reference plane passing through the center in the thickness direction, and the upper side and the lower side of this plane are formed separately and joined together, whereby the buffer structure 10 may be formed. In this case, each part has a shape that can be manufactured by various methods using, for example, a mold.

[0022] In this embodiment, the buffer structure 10 is shown as an example in which the upper surface 21 and the lower surface 22 are formed of parallel planes, but it is not limited to this. For example, the buffer structure may have a shape in which the thickness varies depending on the location. For example, the buffer structure may have a central part that is thicker or thinner than other parts. Also, in this embodiment, the buffer structure 10 is an example in which there are eight warp threads 30 and the general shape is a regular octagon, but it is not limited to this. The number of warp threads 30 may be more or less. Also, it does not have to have a general shape of a regular polygon. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the buffer structure 10 is an example in which there are four weft threads 40, but it is not limited to this. The number of weft threads 40 may be more or less.

[0023] [Structure of the supporter] The supporter 100 of this embodiment will now be described. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the supporter 100. Figure 3(a) is a plan view of the supporter 100, and Figure 3(b) is a front view of the supporter 100. The supporter 100 includes the cushioning structure 10 described above. The supporter 100 is configured such that the cushioning structure 10 is positioned and fixed to the outer upper part of the kendo face protector.

[0024] The supporter 100 comprises a cushioning structure 10 and a mounting device 110 configured to be attached to a face guard and support the cushioning structure 10. The mounting device 110 comprises a base material 120, for example, rectangular, thin, and flexible. The base material 120 is made of, for example, canvas. The length of the base material 120 is, for example, about 300mm-450mm, and for example, about 380mm. The width of the base material 120 is, for example, about 80mm-160mm, and for example, about 120mm. The base material 120 is made by folding a No. 11 canvas in half.

[0025] The mounting device 110 has a shape that is symmetrical with respect to a line perpendicular to the long side assumed to be in the center of the longitudinal direction. The central portion 122 of the base material 120 is provided with a housing portion 130 configured to accommodate the cushioning structure 10. The housing portion 130 may be formed, for example, between two folded pieces of canvas. The housing portion 130 does not have to be formed by two folded pieces of cloth; for example, it may be formed by sewing another piece of cloth to it. The mounting device 110 may be configured to allow easy insertion and removal of the cushioning structure 10 from the housing portion 130, or the cushioning structure 10 may be firmly fixed inside the housing portion 130. When the cushioning structure 10 is fixed to the mounting device 110, the cushioning structure 10 may be fixed to the mounting device 110 with adhesive or sewn to it, rather than relying on the housing portion 130.

[0026] A pair of hook-and-loop fasteners 140 are provided on each of the side portions 124 on both sides of the central portion 122 of the base material 120. One of the hook-and-loop fasteners 140 is provided on one corner of each side portion 124, which is roughly quadrilateral including rectangles or squares, and the other of the hook-and-loop fasteners 140 is provided on the opposite corner. The hook-and-loop fastener 140 provided on the side closer to the central portion 122 will be called the first hook-and-loop fastener 141, and the other hook-and-loop fastener 140 provided on the corner of the base material 120 will be called the second hook-and-loop fastener 142. The shapes of the first hook-and-loop fastener 141 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 142 may be right triangles with two sides aligned with two sides of the side portion 124, as shown in Figure 3(a), or they may be other shapes.

[0027] Each side portion 124 of the base material 120 has an exposed portion 150 along the diagonal line connecting two corners where the hook-and-loop fastener 140 is not provided, where the base material 120 is exposed and the hook-and-loop fastener 140 is not provided. The fastener 110 is fastened by folding the base material 120 over at the exposed portion 150, which brings together the first hook-and-loop fastener 141 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 142.

[0028] The hook-and-loop fastener 140 may be replaced with various fasteners such as buttons, and one fastener and the other fastener may be provided at diagonal points.

[0029] [Attaching the supporter to the face guard] The method of attaching the supporter 100 to the face guard 200 will be explained with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4(a) is a schematic diagram showing the face guard 200 when worn by a competitor. The face guard 200 comprises a face pad 210 made of a single piece of sashiko stitching that protects the competitor from the top of the head through the temples to the shoulders, a face guard 220 made of a grid-like metal that protects the competitor's face, and a thrusting guard and a protective guard 230 that protect the competitor's throat and neck. The face guard 220 has an annular base ring 221 that forms the outer circumference, and one vertical metal bar 222 that extends vertically and fixed to the top and bottom of the base ring 221, and for example 14 horizontal metal bars 223 that extend horizontally. The vertical metal bars 222 and horizontal metal bars 223 have a curved shape that conforms to the curves of the face.

[0030] The face guard 200 worn by the competitor is secured to the competitor's head by, for example, two face straps 242. One end of each face strap 242 is attached via a face strap 244 to the left and right ends of, for example, the fourth horizontal metal fitting 223 from the bottom of the face metal fitting 220. Each face strap 242 is stretched from the face strap 244 upward and backward of the head, crosses at the back of the head, and stretched upward and forward of the head. These face straps 242 pass under the vertical metal fitting 222 above the top horizontal metal fitting 223, and the two face straps 242 cross under the vertical metal fitting 222 and are stretched again towards the back of the head along the other face strap 242. The two face straps 242 that reach the back of the head are tied together at the back of the head.

[0031] As described above, the supporter 100 is attached to the face guard 200, which is securely fixed to the athlete's head, as needed. Figure 4(b) schematically shows the state in which the supporter 100 is being attached to the face guard 200. The supporter 100 is positioned along the face padding 210 such that the central portion 122, which houses the cushioning structure 10, is located on the front side of the top of the face padding 210. At this time, the side portions 124 on both sides of the supporter 100 are inserted between the face strap 242, which is stretched between the top of the vertical metal plate 222 at the top of the face plate 220 and the back of the athlete's head, and the face padding 210. At this time, the face strap 242 passes through the exposed portion 150 between the first hook-and-loop fastener 141 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 142 of the side portion 124 of the supporter 100.

[0032] Figure 4(c) schematically shows the supporter 100 attached to the face guard 200. From the state shown in Figure 4(b), the side portions 124 on both sides of the supporter 100 are folded back along the face straps 242 stretched between the top of the face frame 220 and the back of the athlete's head, and the first hook-and-loop fastener 141 and the second hook-and-loop fastener 142 are attached to fasten them together. In this way, the supporter 100 can be easily fixed to the face guard 200. Also, the supporter 100 can be easily removed from the face guard 200 by following the reverse procedure described above.

[0033] Thus, the supporter 100 comprises a cushioning structure 10, a housing section 130 that houses the cushioning structure 10 and is configured to be positioned on the top of the kendo face guard 200, side sections 124 provided on both sides of the housing section 130 and configured to be inserted between the face strap 242, which is stretched from the top of the vertical metal 222 to the back of the head when the face guard 200 is worn, and the face padding 210, and fasteners such as hook-and-loop fasteners 140 provided on the side sections 124 and configured to fasten the side sections 124 when they are folded back to straddle the face strap 242.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4(c), the cushioning structure 10 of the supporter 100 is positioned on the top of the face guard 200. This position is where one receives a blow to the face with a bamboo sword in kendo. In a match, the number of blows to the face is small, but in practice, one may receive a very large number of blows to the face. In particular, in practice sessions that involve continuous blows to the face, such as uchikomi keiko and kakari keiko, the instructor or motodachi, who receive the blows, receive a very large number of blows to the face. The supporter 100 of this embodiment is configured so that, for example, only the instructor or motodachi can wear it during uchikomi keiko or kakari keiko. This makes it possible for competitors to practice more safely, as will be described later.

[0035] [About supporters] In recent years, it has been noted that in athletes participating in contact sports, repeated impacts to the head over a long period can accumulate brain damage, leading to conditions such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. This accumulation of brain damage may also occur in kendo. Furthermore, it is known that some athletes participating in contact sports develop hearing loss as a result of repeated impacts to the head. This hearing loss may be caused by damage to auditory sensory cells in the inner ear due to the transmission of impacts to the head, including bone conduction, or by damage to auditory sensory cells due to the loud noise generated by the blow.

[0036] In such circumstances, the cushioning structure 10 and the supporter 100 using it according to this embodiment reduce the impact on the head and suppress the generation of impact noise. As a result, it is possible to prevent brain injuries and hearing loss in kendo competitors.

[0037] In traditional sports like kendo, the cultural background makes it difficult to improve equipment. Furthermore, items like practice-specific face guards tend to be burdensome for competitors, making them difficult to popularize and potentially commercially challenging. In contrast, the cushioning structure 10 and the supporter 100 using it according to this embodiment are relatively inexpensive and easy to promote. Moreover, the supporter 100 can be easily attached to and detached from conventional face guards 200 as needed. Therefore, it does not conflict with the cultural background. Additionally, it enables effective injury prevention, for example, by having only the attacking partner wear it during striking practice.

[0038] In this embodiment, the supporter 100 is an example of a supporter suitable for attachment to a face guard 200 using an attachment device 110. However, the cushioning structure 10 can be used not only in kendo but also in various sports where repeated impacts are applied to the head, such as boxing, karate, American football, and soccer involving heading. In this case, by using an attachment device suited to the characteristics of each sport, an appropriate supporter in which the cushioning structure 10 functions can be constructed.

[0039] [Example of experiment] The impact reduction performance of the cushioning structure 10 according to the above embodiment was evaluated experimentally.

[0040] <Experimental Method> Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the experimental apparatus 300 used in this experiment. The experimental apparatus 300 has a plaster head model 310. An acceleration sensor 322 is installed on the top of the head model 310. The acceleration sensor 322 is connected to an acoustic vibration analysis system 332 (Ono Sokki, DS-5100) which is connected to a computer 334. The data acquired by the acceleration sensor 322 was analyzed using the acoustic vibration analysis system 332 and the computer 334.

[0041] A face shield 200 was placed over a head model 310 on which an acceleration sensor 322 was positioned. The spiderweb-shaped cushioning structure 10 according to this embodiment was placed and fixed to the top of the head on the outside of the face shield 200. The cushioning structure 10 was fabricated using a 3D printer. The cushioning structure 10 was made of polyurethane resin. The dimensions of the cushioning structure 10 were 100 mm in length and width, and 15 mm in thickness. A photograph of the manufactured cushioning structure 10 is shown in Figure 6.

[0042] A small bamboo sword striking device 340 was used for the strikes. The small bamboo sword striking device 340 comprises a small bamboo sword 342 and a downward swing mechanism 344. The downward swing mechanism 344 is configured to swing the small bamboo sword 342 90° downward from a vertical upward position to a horizontal position. The position of the small bamboo sword striking device 340 was adjusted so that the tip of the downward-swinging small bamboo sword 342 strikes the top of the face guard 200 on which the cushioning structure 10 is located.

[0043] The experiment involved placing the spiderweb-type cushioning structure 10 of this embodiment on the top of the face guard 200. For comparison, the experiment also included using only the face guard 200 without the cushioning structure 10, with all other conditions kept the same. In addition, an experiment was conducted in which a honeycomb-structured cushioning structure 90, as shown in Figure 7, was placed on the top of the face guard 200 instead of the spiderweb-type cushioning structure 10 of this embodiment. This honeycomb-structured cushioning structure 90 has a shape in which hexagonal prism shapes are carved out at regular intervals in two orthogonal directions, vertical and horizontal, parallel to the main surface, from a flat base plate. The thickness of the honeycomb-structured cushioning structure 90 was 15 mm, the same as the spiderweb-type cushioning structure 10. The experiment was conducted with all conditions other than the structure of the cushioning structure kept the same. Measurements were taken five times for each case.

[0044] <Experimental Results> Figure 8 shows the results of impact acceleration measured using an acceleration sensor 322 when striking with the small bamboo sword striking device 340. When the spiderweb-type cushioning structure 10 according to this embodiment was used, the impact acceleration was 27% of that when only the face guard 200 was used without it. In other words, a 73% impact reduction effect was obtained. By using the spiderweb-type cushioning structure 10 according to this embodiment, the impact acceleration was reduced to less than 30% of that when only the face guard 200 was used without it, clearly demonstrating a significant reduction in damage to the head from the impact. When the honeycomb-structured cushioning structure according to the comparative example was used, the impact acceleration was reduced to 48% of that when only the face guard 200 was used without it. In other words, a 52% impact reduction effect was obtained. Thus, while the impact acceleration was reduced to less than 50% when using the honeycomb-structured cushioning structure according to the comparative example, it was clear that the spiderweb-type cushioning structure 10 according to this embodiment provided a greater damage reduction effect. By significantly reducing head injuries resulting from blows, it is expected that brain disorders such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy and hearing disorders such as hearing loss can be prevented.

[0045] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10:Buffer structure 21: Top surface, 22: Bottom surface, 26: Center part, 27: Outer part 30: Warp thread section, 31: Upper warp thread section, 32: Lower warp thread section, 33: Space 40: Weft section, 41: First weft section, 42: Second weft section, 43: Third weft section, 44: Fourth weft section, 45: Through hole 100: Supporter 110: Mounting device, 120: Base material, 122: Central part, 124: Side part, 130: Storage part, 140: Velcro fastener, 141: First Velcro fastener, 142: Second Velcro fastener, 150: Exposed part 200: Mask armor 210: Menbuton (face cushion), 220: Mengane (face guard), 221: Dairin (base ring), 222: Tategane (vertical metal), 223: Yokogane (horizontal metal), 230: Tsukitare (thrusting skirt) and Yojintare (safety skirt), 242: Menhimo (face guard cord), 244: Menchigawa (face guard leather) 300: Experimental apparatus 310: Head model, 322: Accelerometer, 332: Acoustic vibration analysis system, 334: Computer, 340: Small bamboo sword striking device, 342: Small bamboo sword, 344: Downward swing mechanism

Claims

1. With respect to the reference plane, multiple warp threads made of synthetic resin extend radially from the center to the outer edge, With respect to the reference surface, a plurality of weft threads made of synthetic resin extend circumferentially to connect adjacent warp threads, Equipped with, Each of the aforementioned warp thread portions has an upper warp thread portion and a lower warp thread portion, and the upper warp thread portion and the lower warp thread portion are rod-shaped structures provided at a predetermined distance apart in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane. The aforementioned weft portion is a plate-like structure connected to the upper and lower warp portions of the adjacent warp portions, and has a bent cross-sectional shape in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane. Overall, it has a flattened shape that extends along the aforementioned reference surface. buffer structure.

2. The spacing between adjacent weft threads is less than 25 mm. The size along the aforementioned reference plane is 70 mm - 130 mm at its widest point. The thickness in the direction perpendicular to the aforementioned reference plane is 10 mm to 30 mm. The buffer structure according to claim 1.

3. The buffer structure according to claim 1 or 2, having a shape symmetrical with respect to the reference plane passing through the center in the thickness direction.

4. The number of warp threads is eight. The number of weft threads is four, from the outer edge to the center. The buffer structure according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The buffer structure according to claim 1, A device having a flat shape and Equipped with, The aforementioned attachment device is A housing section that accommodates the aforementioned buffer structure and is configured to be positioned on the top of the head of the kendo face protector, Side portions are provided on both sides of the aforementioned storage section and are configured to be inserted between the face straps and face padding that run from the upper part of the vertical metal fitting to the back of the head when the face protective gear is worn, A fastener provided on the side portion, configured to secure the side portion when it is folded back so as to straddle the face strap, Having, Supporter.

6. Each of the aforementioned side portions is roughly rectangular, One and the other of the pair of fasteners are provided at the diagonal corners of the aforementioned roughly rectangular shape. The supporter according to claim 5.

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