Dual-Function Head Protection Device for Fall Injury Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional head helmets do not effectively prevent brain injuries from sudden falls, as they may protect the skull but allow the brain to continue moving and collide with the skull, causing 'brain slosh' injuries, which can lead to temporary or long-term damage and even death.
Innovation Solution
A dual-functioning head protection device comprising a C-shaped neck collar that compresses the jugular veins and an expandable airbag helmet, where a detection device triggers the airbag to inflate upon a fall, providing both skull and brain protection by increasing blood volume around the brain and deploying an airbag for impact absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional hard shell helmets are used to protect the skull, then skull protection is improved, but brain injury protection deteriorates due to brain slosh
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is pre-positioned within the helmet structure and automatically deploys upon detection of a fall or impact event, providing immediate brain protection before the brain can slosh and collide with the skull. This preliminary deployment action prevents the harmful brain-skull collision that occurs with traditional helmets.
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable airbag creates a cushioning layer between the brain and the hard shell helmet interior before impact occurs. This beforehand cushioning absorbs the impact forces and prevents direct brain-to-skull contact, thereby protecting against brain injuries while maintaining skull protection.
2Reliability
If expandable airbag helmets are used to protect against brain slosh, then brain injury protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is nested within the helmet structure, with the inflatable chamber positioned inside the hard shell. This nesting arrangement integrates the complex airbag system into the existing helmet framework, minimizing additional complexity while maximizing protective functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbag system is equipped with automatic sensors and deployment mechanisms that activate without user intervention. Upon detecting a fall or impact, the system automatically inflates the airbag, eliminating the need for manual operation and reducing the complexity of user interaction with the device.
3Speed
If the airbag helmet inflates from the neck band, then deployment speed is improved, but neck band complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is pre-positioned and pre-charged within the neck band structure, with all deployment components ready for immediate activation. When a fall is detected, the airbag inflates almost instantaneously, providing rapid protection without requiring complex deployment sequences or user actions.
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 effectively mitigates the risk of skull and brain injuries by increasing blood volume around the brain to cushion it from impact and deploying an airbag for immediate protection, reducing the risk of brain slosh and providing reliable protection against a broader range of head injuries.
Implementation Method 1
a c-shaped neck collar having first and second ends, the first and second ends being configured to compress a jugular vein on each side of the user during application to the user's neck
Implementation Method 2
The airbag helmet includes an inflatable inner bag surrounded by an outer bag, such that a structure of the outer bag defines a shape of the airbag helmet when the inner bag is inflated
Implementation Method 3
deploying an airbag for impact absorption
Data Source
AI summary
A dual functioning head protection device for a fall prone user including a c-shaped neck collar that is configured to compress the jugular veins of the user during application to the user's neck and an expandable airbag helmet that is removably affixed to the collar. The airbag helmet includes an inflatable inner bag surrounded by an outer bag, such that the structure of the outer bag defines a shape of the airbag helmet when the inner bag is inflated. The inner bag includes a number of chambers which inflate to protect the user's skull during a fall. A trigger device in the collar detects if the user is falling and inflates the airbag helmet in such instances. This dual functioning device also protects the user's brain from brain slosh because of the collar's compression of the user's jugular veins. Compression of the vein sends blood into the skull with each fall impact, which reduces the brain's freedom to jostle around in the skull in a fall.