Chest Protector Abdomen Cushion Shock Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chest protectors for baseball catchers fail to effectively absorb shocks and control the bounce of a hit ball, often causing the ball to bounce unpredictably and potentially hit the catcher, hitter, or umpire, leading to safety concerns and difficulty in catching the ball on the first bounce.
Innovation Solution
The chest protector design incorporates inner and outer low bounce foams with a hard plastic board sandwiched in between, along with sloping outer foams and buffer spaces to enhance shock absorption and guide the ball to bounce in front of the catcher, ensuring the ball is caught quickly and safely without hitting unintended targets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional cushions are used in the chest protector, then the basic shock absorption function is provided, but the ball bounces unpredictably and may hit unintended targets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the cushioning material by using a sloping surface design with specific angle ranges (15-45 degrees) and controlled buffer spaces (5-20mm thickness). This geometric parameter change directs the ball bounce trajectory predictably toward the ground in front of the catcher, resolving the unpredictability issue while maintaining shock absorption functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure combining foam material with a hard plastic board layer. This composite design provides both shock absorption (from the foam) and directional control (from the rigid board), ensuring the ball bounces in a controlled manner without hitting unintended targets, thus improving reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the ball is absorbed by the abdomen cushions, then shock protection is provided, but the ball bounces to unexpected places causing safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces specific geometric parameters including sloping angles (15-45 degrees) and buffer space dimensions (5-20mm) in the abdomen cushion design. These parameter changes ensure that after absorbing the shock, the ball is directed along a predictable trajectory toward the ground in front of the catcher, eliminating accidental bounces to unintended areas while maintaining protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful unpredictable bounce into a beneficial controlled trajectory. By designing the sloping surface and buffer space, the cushioning system not only absorbs the impact energy but also redirects the ball in a useful direction (toward the ground in front of the catcher), turning the potential harm into a benefit for ball retrieval and safety.
3Productivity
If the catcher cannot catch the ball on the first bounce, then more time is required, but this reduces catching efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the sloping angle parameters (15-45 degrees) and buffer space dimensions to ensure the ball bounces directly toward the ground in front of the catcher. This parameter optimization enables the catcher to catch the ball on the first bounce, improving productivity by eliminating the need for additional retrieval movements and reducing time loss.
4Reliability
If the ball bounces from the chest protector, then shock is absorbed, but it may hit the user, hitter or umpire accidentally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure of foam and hard plastic board that reliably absorbs shock while controlling the ball's exit trajectory. The rigid board layer provides structural integrity for consistent shock absorption, while the sloping surface geometry ensures the ball is directed safely toward the ground in front of the catcher, preventing accidental hits to the user, hitter, or umpire.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful rebound effect into a beneficial controlled trajectory. The cushioning system absorbs the impact energy and redirects the ball along a safe path toward the ground in front of the catcher, transforming the harmful accidental bounce into a useful controlled discharge that enhances safety for all parties involved.
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 design effectively absorbs shock and directs the ball to bounce in front of the catcher, allowing for immediate catch and preventing accidental hits, ensuring a high level of safety for the catcher, hitter, and umpire.
Implementation Method 1
Each upper abdomen cushion is formed of an inner low bounce foam, an outer low bounce foam and an intermediate hard plastic board sandwiched in between
Implementation Method 2
the inner low bounce foam of each abdomen cushion is shorter and relatively softer than the associating outer low bounce foam
Implementation Method 3
the outer low bounce foams of the abdomen cushions are respectively held in a sloping status with a respective buffer space defined therein below the respective inner low bounce foams
Data Source
AI summary
A chest protector formed of a base, upper and lower shoulder straps, a neck pad, neck cushions, shoulder cushions, chest cushions, upper and lower abdomen cushions, lateral cushions, bottom cushions and breathing cloths. Each upper abdomen cushion is formed of an inner low bounce foam, an outer low bounce foam and an intermediate hard plastic board sandwiched in between the inner low bounce foam and outer low bounce foam. Each lower abdomen cushion is formed of an inner low bounce foam and an outer low bounce foam. The inner low bounce foam of each abdomen cushion is shorter and relatively softer than the associating outer low bounce form so that a buffer space is defined between the outer low bounce foam of each abdomen cushion and the base below the associating inner low bounce foam and the outer low bounce foams of the abdomen cushions are respectively held in a sloping status after stitching of the breathing cloths to the base.