Ballistic Nape Protector for Helmet Neck Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ballistic helmets with a flared lower edge leave the lower skull and upper neck region exposed to upwardly traveling projectiles from ground-level or subterranean munitions, posing a significant threat in modern conflict situations, while existing solutions fail to provide adequate protection with minimal weight and bulk.
Innovation Solution
A ballistic helmet assembly with a nape protecting component that attaches to existing retention straps, featuring a fabric covering with a soft or hard armor insert, providing additional protection to the lower skull region and allowing for easy integration with conventional helmets, preserving range of motion and being lightweight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a flared lower edge is used on ballistic helmets, then manufacturing is easier and airflow is improved, but the lower skull and upper neck region becomes exposed to upwardly traveling projectiles
Solution Approach 1:
The helmet protection system is divided into separate functional components: the original flared helmet provides manufacturing ease and airflow benefits, while a separate nape protector component provides protection against upwardly traveling projectiles. This segmentation allows each component to optimize for its specific function without compromising the others.
Solution Approach 2:
The nape protector is designed to attach to the existing helmet structure, nesting the protective function within the existing helmet system. The nape protector can be integrated with the retention straps and overall helmet assembly, creating a layered protection system that maintains the original helmet's manufacturing advantages while adding new protective capabilities.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If additional ballistic protection is added to protect the lower skull and upper neck, then protection against ground-level munitions is improved, but weight and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding comprehensive ballistic protection to the entire helmet, the nape protector applies localized protection specifically to the lower skull and upper neck region. This local quality approach provides targeted protection against ground-level munitions while minimizing unnecessary weight and bulk in other areas of the helmet.
Solution Approach 2:
The nape protector utilizes composite materials including ballistic fabric layers and potential ceramic or metal inserts to provide effective protection against high-speed fragments. These composite materials offer high protective performance with minimal weight, allowing the nape protector to provide significant protection without substantially increasing overall helmet weight.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a nape protecting component is attached to existing retention straps, then protection coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nape protector is designed to interface with the existing retention strap system, making the retention straps serve multiple functions: both their original function of securing the helmet and the new function of attaching the nape protector. This universality approach increases protection coverage without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same existing components are utilized for dual purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
A ballistic armored component attaches to the existing retention straps of common combat helmets and provides protection to the otherwise exposed lower skull and upper neck region. A fabric covering contains a soft armor or hard armor insert, and is mounted by straps or other fasteners to existing straps found in conventional helmets. The armor component may be fabric of aramid fibers, or fabric of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, or may be fabricated of a rigid plate of ceramic, polymer, or metal. The armored component adds additional protection from ground-level or subterranean munitions, by placing a ballistic shape on the lower skull region (occipital region), providing significant additional ballistic coverage with minimal weight and bulk. The fabric shell may also be connected directly to the helmet shell, to allow the component to withdraw within the helmet when the wearer's neck is flexed rearwardly.