Collapsible Fluid Chamber Shock Absorption for Compact Impact Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shock absorption systems, such as collapsible foams and personal protective equipment, fail to provide ideal force profiles under impact loading, often becoming too stiff for low-severity impacts and requiring excessive space, making them inefficient for compact applications like helmets.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible elongated chamber with a refill chamber and incompressible fluid, where the fluid flows through orifices to expand the refill chamber upon compression, distributing force over time and absorbing impact energy effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rigid shock absorption devices are used, then shock absorption capability is improved, but device size increases significantly (more than double the working stroke length)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic collapse mechanism where the chamber cross-sectional area varies along its length, allowing the structure to adapt its geometry during compression. This dynamic geometric transformation enables the device to achieve effective shock absorption with a compact form factor, eliminating the need for oversized rigid structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes an incompressible fluid (water) contained within the collapsible chamber to transmit and distribute impact forces hydrodynamically. The fluid's incompressibility allows for efficient energy absorption and distribution throughout the device structure, enabling compact design while maintaining high shock absorption performance.
2Loss of energy
If foam materials are used for shock absorption, then energy absorption is improved, but the system becomes too stiff for low-severity impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the shock absorption system by using an incompressible fluid instead of compressible foam materials. This parameter change allows the system to maintain low stiffness for gentle impacts while still absorbing significant energy through hydrodynamic pressure buildup during high-velocity impacts, achieving a broader range of effective operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a periodic refill mechanism where the chamber is replenished with fluid after each impact event. This periodic action ensures the system maintains optimal performance characteristics across multiple impact cycles, including both low-severity and high-severity impacts, by resetting the system state between events.
3Loss of energy
If the entire thickness of collapsible energy absorber is used, then energy absorption is improved, but space for low-severity impacts is lost due to material compaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the cross-sectional area of the chamber along its length, creating regions of different structural characteristics. This allows the device to optimize its response to different impact severities, maintaining available space for low-severity impacts while providing sufficient energy absorption capacity for high-severity events through localized structural features.
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 provides optimal energy absorption across a range of impact velocities while maintaining a compact design, reducing injury to biological tissues and improving shock absorption in space-constrained applications.
Implementation Method 1
the reservoir space receives the incompressible fluid to expand the refill chamber as the incompressible fluid flows from the interior of the chamber through the at least one orifice
Implementation Method 2
the refill chamber is configured to expand in response to an internal pressure
Implementation Method 3
when the chamber is compressed by the external impact forces
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for shock absorption are provided herein. Collapsible shock absorption devices have an inner wall having at least one orifice, an outer wall, and a fluid sealed within the outer wall can mitigate sharp increases in force during loading and can better distribute loading forces. In some cases, collapsible shock absorption devices disclosed herein are used for prevention of injury to a biological tissue of a subject or damage to an inanimate object.