Arm Protector with Narrow Fastening Zone for Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective equipment for sports players often compromises between providing adequate protection and minimizing resistance to motion, with existing designs being cumbersome or uncomfortable.
Innovation Solution
An arm protector design featuring a base with pad members that are fastened using a narrow fastening zone, allowing for movable lateral portions that extend significantly, providing flexibility and reduced resistance to arm movement while maintaining protective coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pad members are fully fastened to the base along their entire length, then protection and stability are improved, but mobility and comfort deteriorate due to increased resistance to arm movement
Solution Approach 1:
The pad member is divided into a fastened portion (attached to the base) and a movable portion (extending laterally with significant length, at least one-third of the total pad member length). This segmentation allows the pad to provide protection where fastened while maintaining mobility where unfastened, directly resolving the contradiction between protection and mobility
Solution Approach 2:
The pad member transitions from a static fully-fastened design to a dynamic partially-fastened design where the movable portion can shift and adapt during arm movement. This dynamic configuration allows the pad to maintain protection during impact while reducing resistance during normal motion, addressing both reliability and ease of operation
2Reliability
If pad members are fully fastened to the base, then protective coverage is improved, but comfort deteriorates due to constant pressure and reduced ventilation
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the pad member into fastened and movable portions, the design provides protective coverage through the fastened area while creating ventilation space under the movable portion. This reduces constant pressure on the arm and improves airflow, directly addressing the comfort issue while maintaining protection
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the pad member have different attachment characteristics - the fastened portion provides stable coverage and protection, while the movable portion provides ventilation and comfort. This local differentiation of attachment quality resolves the contradiction between protective coverage and comfort
Data Source
AI summary
A protector for protecting an arm or other body part of a wearer, such as a sports player playing lacrosse, hockey, baseball, or another sport. The protector comprises: a base for engaging the wearer's arm or other body part; and a pad member fastened to the base and comprising protective padding. The pad member may be fastened to the base by a narrow fastening zone. This may allow the protector to better fit on the wearer's arm or other body part, reduce resistance to movement of the wearer's arm or other body part, and/or increase breathability or ventilation of the wearer's arm or other body part and the protector itself.