Device to securely hold and release headgear along with other personal protective equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage and transportation devices for personal protective equipment, such as headgear, lack the ability to securely hold and efficiently release multiple types of equipment, are not versatile, and fail to maintain mobility across different environments.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a spring-loaded mechanism with mandibles that securely lock and release headgear, combined with side glasses holders and a compact design, allowing for storage of various personal protective items like gloves, vests, and earplugs, and can be easily attached to various surfaces using magnets, hooks, or clips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If simple hooks or wire racks are used for headgear storage, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to mechanically lock and secure headgear is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The storage device is divided into multiple independent mandibles (first mandible, second mandible, third mandible, fourth mandible) that can independently grip different parts of the headgear. Each mandible can be controlled separately to provide localized gripping forces, achieving secure mechanical locking while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates a spring mechanism that provides dynamic, adjustable gripping force. The spring can be compressed to open the mandibles for loading and releases to automatically close and secure the mandibles around the headgear, transitioning between static and dynamic states to achieve both ease of operation and secure locking.
2Reliability
If dedicated headgear storage devices are used, then headgear can be securely held, but the ability to store multiple types of personal protective equipment is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The storage device is designed with multiple mandibles arranged in a circular pattern around a central axis, creating universal storage capability. The mandibles can accommodate various shapes and sizes of personal protective equipment including headgear, gloves, earplugs, safety vests, and safety glasses, allowing a single device to serve multiple storage functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device features a hierarchical storage structure where smaller items can be stored within larger containers. The hollow body provides an inner storage compartment that can hold smaller PPE items like earplugs or small tools, while the outer structure with multiple mandibles stores larger items like headgear or gloves, creating a nested storage system.
3Reliability
If fixed storage locations are used for personal protective equipment, then equipment can be securely stored, but mobility and ease of relocation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a hanging implement with a hook that can be easily attached to and detached from various surfaces. This dynamic mounting capability allows the storage device to be relocated between different workstations or environments while maintaining secure storage function, transitioning from a fixed to a mobile configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes a compact, lightweight design with a hollow body that can be easily transported. The structural shell is designed to be sufficiently strong for secure storage yet lightweight enough for easy relocation, balancing structural integrity with mobility requirements.
4Device complexity
If manual release mechanisms are used for stored equipment, then the device structure remains simple, but the ease of releasing headgear is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded mandible system provides self-service functionality where the spring automatically stores potential energy during the closing action and releases it to open the mandibles. When the user releases the compression force, the spring self-generates the force needed to open the mandibles and release the headgear, eliminating the need for additional motors or complex release mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The mandible operation follows a periodic cycle: the user compresses the spring to open the mandibles (loading phase), the spring automatically closes the mandibles to secure the headgear (storage phase), and the user can repeat the compression to release (release phase). This periodic action between stored and released states provides convenient operation with simple mechanics.
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 device provides a secure, versatile, and mobile solution for storing multiple types of personal protective equipment, ensuring they are protected and easily accessible, suitable for use in various environments and applications.
Implementation Method 1
The spring-loaded mechanism with mandibles that securely lock and release headgear
Implementation Method 2
can be used in conjunction with magnets, hooks, loops or clips in order to hang from any number of viable surfaces or hanging means
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides a means of headgear storage and protection, along with other personal protective equipment, for use in sectors including, but not limited to: construction, mining, agriculture, utility, energy, recreational and military applications. This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a device that can store multiple types of personal protective equipment at one time in a versatile and mobile form that can be used in any number of environments and can securely lock in and easily release headgear.