Articulated Athletic Underlayer with Perforated Foam Padding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Athletic apparel padding often restricts mobility and fails to provide adequate ventilation, as existing designs either lack articulation or do not align with anatomical axes of rotation, leading to incomplete protection and discomfort during high-impact sports.
Innovation Solution
A padded underlayer with anatomically shaped, contoured elements that incorporate perforated regions for flexibility and ventilation, surrounded by continuous regions for enhanced protection, and features that allow articulation about anatomically relevant axes, such as a notched design for the hip joint, to balance protection and mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional padding is used in athletic apparel, then protection is provided, but mobility is restricted and ventilation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The padding is divided into multiple discrete modular elements that can be independently positioned and configured. Each module can move relative to others, allowing the padding system to adapt to body movements while maintaining protection where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The padding system incorporates dynamic characteristics through elastic membranes connecting modular elements, allowing the structure to flex and articulate with body movements. The padding transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system that moves with the athlete.
2Reliability
If traditional padding is used in athletic apparel, then protection is provided, but ventilation is insufficient leading to overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic membrane connecting the padding modules incorporates permeable or porous characteristics that allow air circulation and ventilation through the padding structure, enabling heat dissipation while maintaining protective coverage.
3Reliability
If padding is positioned to cover all desired regions, then protection is comprehensive, but articulation about anatomical axes is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous padding is segmented into discrete modular elements distributed across the body region. These modules can articulate relative to each other about anatomical axes, allowing comprehensive coverage while accommodating natural body movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The padding system allows for adjustment of module positioning and configuration to optimize both coverage and articulation. The elastic membranes can be designed with varying degrees of flexibility to balance protection and movement requirements in different regions.
Data Source
AI summary
Athletic apparel containing protective underlayer comprising molded foam padding that are shaped and curved to match the anatomical regions to reduce the bulk of the underlayers. The molded foam pads a perforated structure to allow for increased flexibility and ventilation. Protective underlayers that surround regions of motion, such as the hip joint, are notched to provide articulation of the protective underlayer that will improve mobility of the athletic apparel wearer.