Dynamic Load-Absorbing Material with Hierarchical Inclusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current impact-absorbing materials, such as those used in helmets and protective gear, are inadequate in dissipating energy effectively, leading to insufficient protection against head injuries in sports and other impact-related incidents.
Innovation Solution
The development of dynamic load-absorbing materials with a hierarchy of inclusions that differ in size, quantity, shape, and composition, creating a synergistic relationship to enhance energy absorption capabilities, allowing the material to exhibit continuously changing properties as it deforms under load, thereby improving energy dissipation compared to conventional foam materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional foam materials are used for impact absorption, then the material structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the energy dissipation capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The foam material is segmented into multiple cell sizes (first, second, and third cell sizes) within the same material structure. This segmentation creates different collapse sequences that progressively absorb energy at multiple scales, significantly improving energy dissipation capability while maintaining a relatively simple foam-based manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite foam material containing multiple cell size distributions within a single matrix. This composite structure combines features of different foam densities and cell structures, enabling enhanced energy absorption through progressive cell collapse while integrating these features into one manufacturable material system
2Adaptability or versatility
If standard foam materials are used, then the material properties remain constant, but the ability to adapt to varying impact loads is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The foam material exhibits dynamic properties through its multi-scale cell structure. As impact load increases, different cell sizes collapse in sequence, allowing the material to adapt its effective stiffness and energy absorption characteristics to the magnitude of the applied load, transitioning from compliant at low loads to stiffer at high loads
Solution Approach 2:
The material's effective mechanical parameters (stiffness, damping) change progressively during deformation as different cell populations collapse. The distribution of cell sizes creates a range of collapse pressures, allowing the material to adjust its response characteristics based on the applied stress level
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional impact-absorbing materials are used, then the pressure distribution during impact is concentrated, but the protection effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the foam material contain different cell size distributions, creating local variations in mechanical properties. This local quality variation allows different portions of the material to engage at different stages of deformation, distributing the energy absorption function across multiple local regions and improving overall protection effectiveness
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
These materials can absorb significantly more energy than standard foam materials, distribute pressure more effectively, and provide enhanced protection by continuously changing properties during deformation, reducing impact pressures and improving safety in applications like helmets and protective gear.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of size ranges of stress-concentrating features... each of the first features, second features, and third features being adapted and configured to concentrate stress in the material proximate to the corresponding feature
Implementation Method 2
the material proximate to the first, second, and third features progressively buckles upon application of the load
Implementation Method 3
Materials capable of absorbing impacts... provide improved dissipation of energy
Implementation Method 4
the compound exhibits substantially elastic response to a compressive strain greater than about fifty percent
Data Source
AI summary
Dynamic load-absorbing materials suitable for use as cushion-type and armor-type materials, for example, of types that can be incorporated into protective gear, equipment, armor, vehicles, and various other structures, or used for the isolation and dissipation of vibratory loads, such as vibration isolators used to support avionic equipment. The impact-absorbing materials include a matrix material (22) and at least first and second sets of inclusions (which can be either included material or voids) (24) in the matrix material (22) that define a hierarchy of inclusions (24) in the matrix material (22). The inclusions (24) differ in size, quantity, shape and/or composition in a direction through the impact-absorbing material, the combination of which contributes to the ability of the material to exhibit at least one property that changes as the inclusions (24) are deformed under load.