Bodily Protection Assembly with Nested Impact Cages

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing protection devices fail to effectively absorb and distribute impact energy away from the user's shoulders and upper torso during physical activities, leading to potential injury.

Innovation Solution

A bodily protection assembly comprising a pair of shoulder pads with a top cage positioned between the shoulders and a lower cage surrounding the upper torso, both designed to absorb and redirect impact energy, with tethers stabilizing a helmet and locks allowing for adjustable fitting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional shoulder pads are used, then the device is simple and easy to wear, but impact energy is not effectively absorbed and distributed, leading to potential injury

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact protection effectivenessVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective device is divided into multiple segments: shoulder pads, top cage, and lower cage. Each segment serves a specific protective function for different body regions, allowing impact energy to be distributed across multiple components rather than concentrated in one area, thereby improving protection effectiveness while maintaining manageable complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The top cage and lower cage are nested within or coupled to the shoulder pads structure. The cages are positioned inside the shoulder pad assembly, with the top cage between the shoulder pads and shoulders, and the lower cage surrounding the upper torso, creating a nested protective system that maximizes protection within the available space

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If a rigid protective structure is used, then impact energy is blocked, but the device becomes less comfortable and restricts movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact energy absorptionVSAvoiduser comfort and mobility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The shoulder pads serve as a flexible base structure that can conform to the user's body shape and allow movement. The rigid cages are coupled to this flexible foundation, creating a composite structure that combines the impact-blocking properties of rigid materials with the comfort and mobility benefits of flexible materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The device combines different material properties by integrating rigid cage structures (for impact blocking) with flexible shoulder pads (for comfort and mobility). This composite approach allows the system to provide effective impact protection while maintaining user comfort and range of motion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS9781956B2Bodily Protection assembly

Publication Date: 2017.10.10 CARMACK WILLIAM

AI summary

A bodily protection assembly for protecting a user from impact energy includes a pair of shoulder pads structured to be worn by the user. A top cage is coupled to the shoulder pads such that the top cage is positioned between the shoulder pads and the user's shoulders. Thus, the top cage may prevent impact energy from being transferred into the user's shoulders. A lower cage is coupled to the shoulder pads such that the lower cage is positioned between the shoulder pads and the user's upper torso. The lower cage surrounds the user's upper torso. Thus, the lower cage may prevent impact energy from being transferred into the user's upper torso.