Dome-Shaped Boron Carbide Protectors for Abrasion-Resistant Textiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current protective clothing for motorcyclists, cyclists, and roller skaters inadequately addresses abrasion and heat protection during falls, with existing solutions either restricting mobility, providing insufficient thermal insulation, or having sharp edges that increase injury risk due to friction issues and tear vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
A textile item of clothing with pre-stretched knitted fabric and strategically arranged, dome-shaped protector elements made of boron carbide, which maintains a low sliding angle and provides effective abrasion protection while allowing for heat dissipation and flexibility, using a method involving a tubular knitted tube and mold plates with concave cavities to ensure secure anchoring and defined geometry of the protector elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large flat protector elements are used to cover large parts of the body, then abrasion protection is improved, but mobility is restricted and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective surface is segmented into multiple small dome-shaped protector elements distributed across the textile rather than using large flat protectors. This segmentation provides sufficient abrasion protection while maintaining mobility and reducing weight, as the small domes allow fabric flexibility and movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The protector elements are formed as dome-shaped spherical structures rather than flat surfaces. This curvature allows the protectors to better conform to body contours, maintains flexibility for mobility, and reduces the overall weight while preserving protective functionality.
2Reliability
If the textile surface is mainly covered by protector elements with narrow gaps, then protection against cuts and burns is improved, but heat dissipation and moisture regulation are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The protector elements are distributed across the textile surface with intentional spacing rather than complete coverage. This local distribution provides protection where needed while leaving gaps for heat dissipation and moisture regulation, particularly important for motorized two-wheelers with constant headwind.
3Reliability
If the coefficient of friction between clothing and road surface is too high, then abrasion protection is improved, but rollovers occur increasing injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The dome-shaped curved surface of the protector elements creates a lower coefficient of friction compared to flat surfaces. This curvature allows controlled sliding during falls, reducing the risk of rollovers while maintaining adequate abrasion protection through the distributed arrangement of protectors.
4Reliability
If protector elements are made with sharp edges to protect against cuts, then cut protection is improved, but injury risk increases due to blocking on rough ground
Solution Approach 1:
The dome-shaped curved edges of the protector elements eliminate sharp corners that would catch on rough ground. The rounded geometry allows smooth sliding over irregular surfaces while the dense distribution of elements maintains protection against cuts and burns.
5Reliability
If existing protector elements are used, then abrasion protection is provided, but thermal insulation against contact heat is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The protector elements extend in the vertical dimension as domes rising from the textile surface, creating additional thermal insulation layers. This three-dimensional structure provides better protection against contact heat while maintaining flexibility and mobility.
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 solution ensures continuous abrasion protection, controlled sliding, and reduced heat transfer, preventing rollovers and deep abrasions, while maintaining mobility and breathability, even on uneven road surfaces, with the ability to dissipate kinetic energy effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The item of clothing is produced from a textile base layer, in particular from a knitted fabric, which can be stretched by at least 20%
Implementation Method 2
the dome shape of the protector elements and the low sliding angle achieved thereby contribute to the fact that the item of clothing slides relatively easily on roughness of the ground
Implementation Method 3
around 3000 W per second are converted, primarily in the form of heat, before the bike comes to a standstill
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3a
Figure 3b~4a
AI summary
In a method for producing a textile piece of clothing with at least one abrasion-prevention zone provided with protector elements, the following steps are provided: 1) supplying a textile carrier layer (1), which can be stretched and is supplied in the form of a flexible tube (1) which is open at both ends and into which is introduced, prior to the coating material (5) being applied, a supporting element (2), by means of which the flexible tube (1) is pre-stretched and tensioned in a crease-free manner in the abrasion-prevention zones provided. 2) Supplying a pasty, curable coating material (5); 3) applying a multiplicity of portions of the coating material (5) to a surface of the carrier layer in order to form the protector elements, wherein the portions of coating material (5) are arranged on the surface such that the portions do not overlap and only part of the surface of the carrier layer is covered by the coating material (5). For this purpose, use is made of a metallic mould plate (10, 20), which contains a multiplicity of concave mould cavities (11, 21) for forming the protector elements (101), said mould cavities being filled with the pasty coating substance (5), and which is positioned, by way of the surface (12, 22) provided with the openings of the mould cavities (11, 21), on the flexible tube (1), which is supported by the supporting plate (2). 4) Curing the coating material (5), using temperature, to form a multiplicity of hard protector elements on the carrier layer.