Deformable Mount Assembly for Anatomical Impact Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current impact testing methods for protective apparel lack accuracy in simulating anatomical conditions, which can lead to inadequate evaluation of protective gear's performance during real-world impacts.
Innovation Solution
A mount assembly with a deformable member that simulates anatomical soft tissue and a core member mimicking bone structure, allowing for more accurate compression and impact testing by replicating the mechanical characteristics of human body parts, such as the thigh, to evaluate protective apparel's effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional rigid mounting structures are used for impact testing, then the testing setup is simple and stable, but the accuracy of simulating anatomical conditions is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates artificial anatomical structures (artificial thigh, artificial torso) that copy the mechanical characteristics of real human body parts. These artificial structures include deformable members that replicate the soft tissue properties and core members that simulate bone structures, allowing accurate measurement of impact forces on protective apparel without requiring actual human subjects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the mounting structure by using deformable members with specific mechanical properties (viscoelastic materials) that match anatomical soft tissue characteristics. The deformable member's stiffness, damping, and stress-strain relationships are tuned to simulate real human tissue, transforming a simple rigid mount into an anatomically accurate test fixture.
2Measurement precision
If deformable members simulating soft tissue are introduced, then anatomical simulation accuracy is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The mount assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: deformable members representing soft tissue, core members representing bones, and mounting structures for securing protective apparel. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining overall anatomical accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures combining deformable materials (viscoelastic polymers) with rigid core elements (metal or composite rods). This composite approach allows the deformable member to exhibit both soft tissue-like deformation characteristics and structural integrity, achieving anatomical simulation without excessive complexity.
3Measurement precision
If complex mount assemblies with deformable members are used, then testing accuracy is enhanced, but the ease of operation and setup is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mount assembly is designed as a universal fixture that can test multiple types of protective apparel (pads, guards, protective clothing) on different anatomical regions (thigh, torso, head). The standardized interfaces and modular design allow the same basic structure to accommodate various test specimens, reducing the need for multiple specialized fixtures.
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
Enhances the accuracy of impact testing by simulating anatomical conditions, providing detailed data on protective apparel's performance and protection capabilities, thereby improving the design and suitability of protective gear for athletes.
Implementation Method 1
the deformable member 12 resiliently deforms as a result of impacting the apparel 11 with the impactor 66
Implementation Method 2
The deformable member 12 can have elastic and/or plastic deformation characteristics that substantially correspond to those characteristics of an anatomical thigh
Implementation Method 3
impacting the apparel 11 with the impactor 66
Implementation Method 4
compression is applied to the apparel 11 for relatively large amounts of time
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A method of impact testing an article of protective equipment includes mounting the article of protective equipment on a deformabie member. The method also includes impacting the article of protective equipment with an impact object. Moreover, the method includes detecting an effect of impact on the deformabie member due to impacting the article of protective equipment with the impact object.