Dasher Board Assembly with Dampening Material for Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dasher board systems fail to adequately protect against high-speed impacts, particularly at lower portions, leading to concussions and other severe injuries, as they often cannot reduce the Head Injury Criteria (HIC) below 250, which is a significant concern in recreational areas like ice hockey and speed skating rinks.
Innovation Solution
A dasher board assembly with a frame and a substantially rigid dasher board attached, featuring a dampening material with specific characteristics between the frame and dasher board, allowing for dual modes of impact absorption: deflection of the frame and compression of the dampening material, which reduces HIC by at least 30% and typically by more than 60% compared to rigid systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid dasher board frame assembly is used, then structural strength and stability are improved, but HIC values increase significantly leading to concussions and severe injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a dampening material between the dasher board and frame that compresses upon impact to absorb kinetic energy before it reaches the participant's body. This pre-positioned energy absorption mechanism reduces HIC values by at least 30% and typically by more than 60% compared to rigid systems, while maintaining structural integrity through the frame's ability to deflect and absorb impact forces.
2Loss of energy
If prior art dampening systems are used, then some impact absorption is achieved, but protection against high-speed impacts at lower portions remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the dampening material specifically at the lower portions of the dasher board where high-speed impacts most commonly occur. This localized energy absorption strategy addresses the specific vulnerability of lower board impacts while maintaining overall structural strength. The dampening material's strategic placement ensures that HIC values are reduced to less than 250, often less than 50, for impacts at this critical location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining a dampening material with specific characteristics (damping coefficient of about 1.7-3.2×10^4 Newton seconds per meter and spring constant of about 1.5-3.0×10^6 Newtons per meter) with the frame structure. This composite approach creates a system that simultaneously provides impact absorption and structural strength, resolving the contradiction between energy loss and injury protection.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the dasher board is made substantially rigid, then durability and structural integrity are improved, but impact force transmission increases causing severe injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a dampening material as a mediator between the rigid frame and the dasher board. This intermediate layer absorbs and dissipates impact forces through compression, preventing direct transmission of high-force impacts to participants. The dampening material's specific damping characteristics allow it to protect against concussions and spinal injuries while the frame maintains its structural integrity through controlled deflection.
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 effectively reduces HIC values to less than 50 in all practical scenarios, providing enhanced safety by absorbing impact forces more effectively across various impact speeds and energy levels, thereby minimizing the risk of concussions and other injuries.
Implementation Method 1
the assembly will absorb the force of impact primarily in a second mode of absorption [comprises compression of a dampening material]
Implementation Method 2
a dampening material with specific characteristics between the frame and dasher board
Implementation Method 3
the assembly will absorb the force of impact primarily in a first mode of absorption [comprises deflection of the frame]
Data Source
AI summary
A dasher board assembly provides enhanced safety, such as for ice hockey rinks. The assembly is constructed so that on low height impacts a dampening material with at least one of a damping coefficient of about 1.7-3.2×104 N-s/m, a spring constant of about 1.5-3.0×106 N/m, and a loss coefficient greater than 0.15, absorbs the impact. On high height impacts both the dampening material and deflection of cantilevered generally vertical polygonal aluminum tubes absorb the impact. The assembly results in a Head Injury Criteria of less than 250 for all realistic scenarios, and a reduction of HIC values of at least 30% compared to an equivalent assembly with a rigid frame.