Breakaway Facemask Cage with Compressible Retainers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Facemask penalties in American football often result in injuries due to the rigidity of traditional facemasks, which do not break away effectively, leading to potential harm to the player's face during penalties.
Innovation Solution
A breakaway facemask system comprising a helmet with a removably coupled cage and retainers that engage the cage to the helmet, allowing it to break away when gripped, reducing the risk of injury by using resiliently deformable materials and compressible ridges for secure attachment and release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional rigid facemask is used, then the facemask provides continuous protection, but it causes injury during penalties due to inability to break away
Solution Approach 1:
The facemask is divided into separate components: a cage and a helmet, connected by retainers with compressible ridges. This segmentation allows the cage to be removable and breakaway, resolving the contradiction between continuous protection and injury risk during penalties.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainers incorporate resiliently deformable materials and compressible ridges that allow dynamic adjustment. Under normal conditions, the ridges compress to secure the cage firmly; during penalties, the same ridges allow the cage to break away, providing both security and safety.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the facemask is made removable with breakaway capability, then injury risk is reduced, but the attachment security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The retainers use resiliently deformable materials that change their physical parameters based on applied force. Under normal conditions, the materials are stiff enough to secure the cage firmly; during penalties, the same materials deform to allow breakaway, maintaining both security and safety through parameter changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainers utilize composite construction combining resiliently deformable materials with compressible ridges. This composite approach provides both the security needed for normal play and the breakaway capability needed during penalties, resolving the attachment security concern.
3Reliability
If retainers with compressible ridges are used, then secure attachment is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retainers incorporate resiliently deformable materials that function as flexible elements. These materials provide secure attachment through elastic deformation rather than complex mechanical structures, achieving reliability while minimizing added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainers with compressible ridges are designed as simple, replaceable components. If wear or damage occurs, they can be easily replaced without affecting the overall system complexity, providing secure attachment through a simple yet effective design.
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 system effectively reduces the risk of injury during facemask penalties by allowing the facemask to break away from the helmet, protecting the user's face from impact and minimizing harm.
Implementation Method 1
resiliently deformable materials and compressible ridges for secure attachment and release
Implementation Method 2
compressible ridges for secure attachment and release
Data Source
AI summary
A breakaway facemask system for reducing injuries from a facemask penalty in American football includes a helmet that is worn during athletic activities. A cage is removably coupled to the helmet. The cage is positioned to cover to the opening thereby protecting a user's face from impact. A plurality of retainers is provided and each of the retainers is coupled to the helmet. Each of the retainers releasably engages the cage such that the cage is removably coupled to the helmet. The cage breaks away from the helmet when the cage is gripped thereby reducing the possibility of injury to the user.