Shock Absorber Faceguard Mounting Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headgear with shock-absorbing faceguards is not robust, compact, unobtrusive, or adaptable enough to effectively reduce the risk of head and neck injuries from impacts, particularly frontal impacts, and lacks a protected mounting location for the shock absorber.
Innovation Solution
A shock absorber system for headgear that includes a support structure, guide rod, sliding member, and resilient member, such as a coil spring, which absorbs impact energy by compressing the resilient member when an object hits the faceguard, and can be configured with friction springs or other resilient materials for enhanced protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rigid facemasks with cushioning padding are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the shock absorption capability is insufficient to reduce head and neck injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The facemask is divided into multiple independent shock absorption units, each containing a guide rod, sliding member, and resilient member. This segmentation allows each unit to independently absorb impact forces while maintaining overall structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between improved shock absorption and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shock absorption units incorporate movable sliding members that can move along guide rods during impact events. This dynamic capability allows the structure to adapt to impact forces, transforming from a static rigid structure to a dynamic energy-absorbing system, thereby improving reliability while managing complexity through functional movement.
2Reliability
If shock absorbing elements are added between the faceguard and head-engaging portion, then the shock absorption capability is improved, but the device becomes less robust and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Resilient members such as springs or elastomeric materials are pre-installed within each shock absorption unit between the guide rod and sliding member. These cushioning elements are positioned in advance to immediately absorb impact energy when the faceguard is struck, protecting the structural integrity while improving impact energy absorption capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The shock absorption units utilize resilient members that change their physical parameters (compression, expansion) in response to impact forces. This parameter change allows the structure to absorb impact energy dynamically while maintaining overall structural robustness through the controlled deformation and recovery of the resilient materials.
3Reliability
If shock absorbers are incorporated into the faceguard, then the protection against head and neck injuries is improved, but the device becomes less compact and more unobtrusive
Solution Approach 1:
The shock absorption units are designed with nested components where the sliding member moves within the guide rod structure, and the resilient member is contained within the space between the guide rod and sliding member. This nesting arrangement maximizes shock absorption functionality while minimizing the overall volume occupied by each unit, maintaining device compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The shock absorption mechanism utilizes the longitudinal dimension of the guide rod, allowing the sliding member to move along the length of the rod during impact. This dimensional approach to shock absorption enables effective energy dissipation without significantly increasing the lateral or vertical footprint of the faceguard structure.
4Reliability
If shock absorbing elements are added to the faceguard, then the injury risk reduction is improved, but the adaptability to different headgear configurations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The shock absorption units are designed as self-contained modules that can be attached to various headgear configurations including hockey masks, football helmets, and other protective equipment. Each unit contains all necessary components (guide rod, sliding member, resilient member) to function independently, allowing the same design to be adapted to different headgear types and impact directions, thereby maintaining versatility while providing reliable injury protection.
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 shock absorber system effectively reduces the impact severity by compressing resilient members upon impact, providing robust, compact, and adaptable protection for the faceguard, thereby minimizing the risk of head and neck injuries.
Implementation Method 1
the resilient member is a coil spring that is provided on the guide rod between the sliding member and the second end portion of the guide rod and biases the sliding member toward the first end portion of the guide rod
Implementation Method 2
the resilient member acts on the sliding member to bias the sliding member toward one end of the guide rod
Implementation Method 3
a friction spring, which comprises a stack of a plurality of elastically deformable rings having tapered faces
Data Source
AI summary
A shock absorber, for use with headgear having a faceguard, has a sliding member that does not extend beyond the support structure of the shock absorber in a way that would leave it vulnerable to damage. A headgear having a faceguard provides a protected mounting location for mounting a shock absorber for the faceguard.