Curved Rib Protective Structure for Sporting Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional protective structures for sporting equipment, made from sheet-like materials by die-cutting, become heavy and have limited shock absorption capabilities due to uniform thickness and stiffness.
Innovation Solution
A protective structure with a curve support rib structure made from injection-moldable materials, featuring varying thickness in a direction perpendicular to the surface, forming a cell-like structure with a large open surface, allowing for optimized material distribution and adjustable stiffness through inner frame size, enhancing lightness and resilience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sheet-like material is used by die-cutting to make protective structures, then the structure can be manufactured with uniform thickness, but the structure becomes heavy and has limited shock distribution capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the material thickness across different regions of the protective structure. The support rib structure has greater material thickness at the middle compared to the edges, creating non-uniform thickness distribution. This allows the structure to be lighter overall while maintaining sufficient strength and shock distribution capability where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional sheet-like structure to a three-dimensional support rib structure with varying thickness in the perpendicular direction. This dimensional change enables the structure to achieve both weight reduction and improved shock distribution by utilizing the third dimension for material thickness variation.
2Ease of manufacture
If uniform thickness is maintained throughout the protective structure, then manufacturing is simplified, but the ability to distribute shocks effectively to a wider area remains limited
Solution Approach 1:
The support rib structure implements local quality by concentrating material thickness at the middle region where shock absorption is most critical, while reducing thickness at the edges. This localized material distribution enhances shock distribution capability without requiring uniform thickness throughout the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material composition suitable for injection molding that combines structural integrity with weight reduction. The material is designed to provide both stiffness and shock absorption properties, enabling the non-uniform thickness structure to achieve reliable shock distribution.
3Reliability
If material thickness is increased throughout the entire structure, then shock absorption improves, but the structure becomes heavier and uses more material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by increasing material thickness only at the middle of the support rib structure where shock absorption is most needed, rather than uniformly increasing thickness throughout. This localized thickening improves shock absorption while minimizing additional material usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial action by applying increased material thickness only to the necessary region (the middle of the support ribs) rather than the entire structure. This provides sufficient shock absorption capability without the excessive material usage that would result from uniform thickness increase.
Data Source
AI summary
The protective structure comprises a at least in one direction curved support rib structure of a material or a material composition that is suited for injection molding, which support rib structure is formed of an outer frame and of inner frames fitted into the interior space of the outer frame and being fixed to each other and/or to the outer frame. The material thickness of the support rib structure varies in a direction perpendicular to a surface formed by the support rib structure so that the material thickness is greater at the middle of the support rib structure compared to the material thickness at the edges of the support rib structure.