Faceted Helmet Shell Impact Force Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sports and other protective helmets do not adequately distribute impact forces to prevent concussions and head injuries, despite advancements in materials science and inner liner design, as concussions continue to occur in contact sports.
Innovation Solution
The helmet features an outer shell with interconnected faceted polygon-shaped regions that distribute force impacts across a larger surface area, maintaining constant thickness and not requiring changes to existing materials or inner cushioning, allowing for effective impact deflection without altering the helmet's aesthetics or production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the outer shell material is strengthened and hardened to reduce energy transmission, then protection effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The outer shell is divided into multiple faceted regions with different geometric configurations. Each facet acts as an independent structural unit that contributes to force distribution, eliminating the need for complex composite materials while achieving enhanced protection through geometric segmentation alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the outer shell by introducing faceted regions with specific angles and configurations. This parameter modification allows the same base material to provide enhanced protection without requiring material science advancements or complex manufacturing processes.
2Reliability
If force distribution fabric is used in the inner liner to spread impact force, then concussion risk is reduced, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The force distribution function is extracted from the inner liner system and relocated to the outer shell through geometric faceting. This extraction eliminates the need for specialized force distribution fabrics in the liner, simplifying the overall helmet construction while maintaining concussion protection.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using soft materials in the inner liner to distribute force, the patent inverts the approach by using hard geometric facets in the outer shell to achieve force distribution. The distribution mechanism is inverted from material-based to geometry-based, simplifying the inner liner while maintaining protection.
3Reliability
If the outer shell geometry is modified to distribute impact force, then protection effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The faceted regions incorporate curved surfaces and rounded transitions between facets, allowing the complex geometry to be manufactured using standard molding techniques. The curvature elements enable force distribution while maintaining manufacturability through conventional processes.
4Reliability
If the outer shell is strengthened to reduce energy transmission, then protection is improved, but the helmet becomes more expensive to produce
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves enhanced protection by changing geometric parameters (facet angles, region sizes, configurations) rather than material parameters. This allows the use of standard, cost-effective materials while obtaining improved protection through intelligent geometric design that distributes impact forces across multiple facets.
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
This design effectively reduces the force transmitted to the wearer's head by spreading impacts over a larger area, enhancing protection while maintaining the helmet's traditional look and economic viability.
Implementation Method 1
an outer shell of a helmet (including various sports helmets, motorcycle helmets, construction helmets, etc.) with force distribution capabilities so as to help further reduce the potential for brain injury from a blow to helmet
Implementation Method 2
The protective helmet having force impact distribution changes the geometry of the outer shell of the helmet without the need to change the material of the outer shell... so that a force directed from the outer shell into the interior of the helmet is spread over a larger area by the force distribution fabric
Data Source
AI summary
A helmet has a shell, the shell having an outer surface and an inner surface such that at least a portion of the outer surface is formed as a series of adjoining polygon shaped faceted regions that help distribute any force impacted on such regions across a relatively large portion of the shell. The faceted regions may be flat, curvedly contoured, or a combination thereof and extend through to the inner surface of the shell. The middle section has the faceted regions while the crown and the lower section may also have the faceted regions or may be contoured as is typical for a traditional helmet of that style.