Auxetic Protective Apparel Panels for Stable Body-Conforming Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing apparel with protective padding faces challenges in conforming to varying body shapes and sizes, leading to improper fit, discomfort, and shifting of padding during movements, while also being difficult to manufacture cost-effectively.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a multilayer panel system with an auxetic foam layer, a bonding layer, and a fabric layer, where the bonding layer features reentrant openings, allowing the padding to contour to the wearer's body and provide impact protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional padding is used in apparel, then impact protection is provided, but the padding shifts and bunches during movements
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding layer incorporates an auxetic structure with reentrant openings that dynamically adjust their geometry in response to applied forces. When the wearer moves or is impacted, the reentrant openings rotate and deform, allowing the padding to adapt its shape and maintain contact with the body contours, preventing shifting and bunching while ensuring consistent protection
Solution Approach 2:
The auxetic structure changes its physical parameters (shape, volume, density) in response to external forces. Under compression from impact or body movement, the reentrant openings collapse and rotate, causing the material to expand in perpendicular directions and increase in density. This parameter change allows the padding to conform to varying body positions and maintain stability during movement
2Reliability
If apparel is designed for close fit to accommodate different body shapes, then protection effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auxetic bonding layer changes its physical parameters (shape, volume, density) in response to external forces. Under compression from impact or body movement, the reentrant openings collapse and rotate, causing the material to expand in perpendicular directions and increase in density. This parameter change allows the padding to conform to varying body positions and maintain stability during movement
Solution Approach 2:
The auxetic bonding layer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it bonds the foam to the fabric, provides impact protection, and enables the padding to conform to various body shapes and movements. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sizing adjustments or complex design modifications for different body types
3Adaptability or versatility
If reentrant openings are added to bonding layer, then auxetic properties are achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding layer is designed with a porous structure containing reentrant openings. This porous configuration enables the auxetic effect while potentially simplifying manufacturing, as the openings can be created through standard processes like punching, laser cutting, or molding, rather than requiring complex multi-step fabrication procedures
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The auxetic panel system provides comfortable, lightweight impact protection that conforms to body contours without wrinkling, creasing, or bunching, while maintaining proper positioning and enhancing fit across different body shapes and sizes.
Implementation Method 1
The protective padding is a multilayer panel possessing a low or a negative Poisson's ratio value
Implementation Method 2
the bonding layer defines a plurality of openings, and each of the openings defines a reentrant shape
Data Source
AI summary
An article of apparel includes protective padding adapted to contour to the wearer. In an embodiment, the protective panel is a multilayered panel including a foam layer, a fabric layer, and a bonding layer located between the foam layer and the fabric layer. The foam layer may be formed of auxetic foam. Alternatively or in addition to, the bonding layer may be a film including a plurality of openings, and each of the openings defines a reentrant shape.