Elastomeric Headgear With Cavities for Oblique Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing helmets fail to effectively absorb oblique impacts, leading to a high incidence of traumatic brain injuries, particularly in elderly individuals and during falls.
Innovation Solution
A soft head-worn device comprising an elastomeric sheet with deformable support members and a mesh layer, designed to absorb energy from impacts through deformation, utilizing materials with a hardness of 40-80 Shore A and featuring cavities or apertures to enhance shock absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hard shell helmets are used, then head protection is provided, but oblique impacts are not effectively absorbed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an elastomeric foam material with a porous cellular structure that effectively absorbs oblique impact energy. The porous nature of the foam allows it to deform and dissipate energy from impacts at various angles, resolving the contradiction between providing head protection and absorbing oblique impacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining an elastomeric foam material with specific mechanical properties (hardness 40-80 Shore A) to create a shock-absorbing system that handles both perpendicular and oblique impacts effectively, overcoming the limitations of traditional hard shell helmets.
2Reliability
If shock-absorbing material is added to helmets, then impact energy is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the shock-absorbing elastomeric foam directly into the helmet structure, merging the protective function with the helmet's basic design. This combination approach provides impact energy absorption without significantly increasing device complexity, as the foam becomes an integral part of the helmet rather than a separate additive component.
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 significantly reduces impact energy by up to 65% for oblique impacts, providing effective protection against traumatic brain injuries.
Implementation Method 1
the support members are configured to be deformed upon shock (mechanical shock)
Implementation Method 2
an elastomeric sheet with a thickness of from 5 mm to 20 mm, the elastomeric sheet having a first side and a second side
Implementation Method 3
the support members have a cavity with an opening towards the second side of the elastomeric sheet, or where the support members have an aperture from the fist side to the second side
Data Source
Figure 1~2d
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
There is provided an elastomeric sheet (2) with a thickness of from 5 mm to 20 mm the elastomeric sheet having with a first side (6) and a second side (13), where the first side has a plurality of deformable support members (7) where the support members have a cavity (17) with an opening towards the second side of the elastomeric sheet, and where the hardness of the sheet is from 40 Shore A to 80 Shore A.