Apparel Protective Plate With Thinned Peripheral Edge
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for attaching multiple layers of dissimilar materials in athletic apparel protective elements are time-consuming and require expensive manual labor, necessitating a more efficient design for securing plate and cushioning components.
Innovation Solution
The use of a plate component with a thinned portion around its periphery, where stitching or staples pass through both the plate and at least one layer of the cushioning component, along with a guide pattern for precise positioning and attachment, facilitates secure and efficient assembly of protective elements in athletic apparel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual labor is used to attach multiple layers of dissimilar materials, then secure attachment is achieved, but production time increases and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plate component is pre-formed with a thinned portion at its periphery during the molding process. This preliminary preparation enables rapid attachment of the cushioning component without requiring time-consuming manual intervention, thus improving productivity while maintaining secure attachment through the pre-configured attachment structure
Solution Approach 2:
The plate component's thickness parameter is varied by creating a thinned portion at the periphery. This parameter change allows the plate to be easily penetrable by attachment elements (staples, stitches, or adhesive application) at the thinned region while maintaining full thickness and structural integrity at the central load-bearing areas, enabling both secure attachment and production efficiency
2Reliability
If manual labor is used to attach multiple layers of dissimilar materials, then secure attachment is achieved, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thinned portion is incorporated into the plate component during the initial molding process, eliminating the need for secondary operations. This preliminary action reduces manufacturing steps and associated labor costs while ensuring secure attachment through the pre-configured attachment structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex manual assembly operations with a simplified attachment mechanism that utilizes the thinned portion feature. Attachment elements such as staples, stitches, or adhesive can be rapidly applied to the thinned region without requiring skilled manual labor, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining attachment security
3Strength
If the plate component has uniform thickness, then structural strength is maintained, but attachment to cushioning component becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The plate component features non-uniform thickness with a thinned portion located at the periphery while the central region maintains full thickness. This local quality variation enables easy attachment at the thinned peripheral region while preserving structural strength at the thicker central load-bearing areas
Solution Approach 2:
The plate component is functionally segmented into different regions: a thinned peripheral region for attachment purposes and a thicker central region for structural support. This segmentation allows each region to optimize its function - the thinned portion facilitates easy attachment while the thicker portion maintains structural integrity
Data Source
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AI summary
A protective element (310) for an article of apparel comprising: a plate component (334) having a perimeter shape; a first material layer (311) having an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface, wherein the exterior surface is positioned adjacent to the plate component; a pad component (313) having a first surface that is positioned adjacent to an interior of the first material layer; wherein the plate component is positioned on the first material layer; and an attachment element that attaches the plate component to the first material layer, wherein the attachment element is a hook-and-loop type attachment.