Elastomeric Helmet Liner Retainer for Rotational Impact Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing helmet assembly methods require rigid fixation of multiple liners, increasing helmet volume and complexity, with limited external attachment options for components, making it difficult to address rotational impacts and attach parts efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A helmet liner retainer system comprising an elastomeric shaft with frustoconical ridges, a fixed retainer, and an adjustable retainer, allowing for coupling of energy management liners and external component attachment, while enabling limited rotational movement and reducing the number of assembly parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If multiple helmet liners are permanently fixed together into a rigid form, then the helmet body provides structural stability, but the helmet volume increases and rotational impacts cannot be addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The helmet is divided into multiple separable liners (outer liner, inner liner, and additional liner for rotational impacts) that can be independently assembled and disassembled using the retainer system, rather than being permanently fixed together. This allows the helmet to maintain structural stability while managing volume and addressing rotational impacts through selective liner configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer system enables dynamic reconfiguration of the helmet liners. The elastomeric shaft with ridges allows the liners to be securely held in position during normal use, but can be easily repositioned or removed when needed, providing adaptability for different impact scenarios without permanently increasing helmet volume.
2Adaptability or versatility
If attachment couplings for external parts are in-molded in the liner, then components can be attached to the helmet body, but manufacturing constraints make this difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer system serves as an intermediary component that provides external attachment capabilities without requiring in-molded couplings. The ridges on the elastomeric shaft and the retainer structures create secure attachment points that can be accessed from the outside, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining versatility for component attachment.
3Reliability
If additional liner is included to address rotational impacts, then rotational impact protection is improved, but the volume of the helmet body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotational impact protection is achieved through a separate, removable liner that can be independently added or removed. This segmented approach allows the helmet to provide rotational impact protection only when needed, without permanently increasing the base helmet volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The additional liner for rotational impact protection is nested within the existing helmet structure, utilizing the same retainer system and space efficiency principles. This allows the protective layer to be integrated without proportionally increasing overall helmet volume.
4Adaptability or versatility
If more attachment locations for parts are added, then component attachment options increase, but the number of parts needed for assembling the helmet increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer system is designed as a universal attachment mechanism that can serve multiple functions: securing liners, providing attachment points for external components, and enabling reconfiguration. This multi-functional design increases attachment options without requiring separate specialized parts for each function.
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 system simplifies multi-liner helmet assembly, addresses rotational impacts without increasing helmet thickness, and provides accessible attachment points for components, reducing the overall complexity and number of parts required.
Implementation Method 1
The elastomeric shaft may comprise a head, a tail, and a plurality of frustoconical ridges disposed along the elastomeric shaft between the head and the tail, wherein the elastomeric shaft may be narrower at the tail than at the head
Data Source
AI summary
A helmet body with an outer shell and at least two energy management liners may include an elastomeric shaft, a fixed retainer, and an adjustable retainer. The elastomeric shaft has a head, a tail, and a plurality of frustoconical ridges disposed along the elastomeric shaft between the head and the tail, the elastomeric shaft being narrower at the tail than at the head. The fixed retainer has first opening large enough to receive both the head, but a second opening is smaller than a size of the head. The adjustable retainer may have an aperture sized to receive the tail and part of the elastomeric shaft. The inner liner and the outer liner are coupled together with the fixed retainer on one side, the elastomeric shaft extending through the fixed retainer, the inner liner, and the outer liner and the adjustable retainer around the elastomeric shaft on the other side.