Forestry Helmet Visor Hexagonal Mesh Edge Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective visors for helmets, particularly those used by forest workers, face issues with stability and uniformity due to irregular transitions between the plastic support frame and the lattice structure, leading to varying strength and light transmission across different areas, which affects their overall performance and appearance.
Innovation Solution
The visor's edge is overmoulded with a wide plastic support frame, providing uniformity and increased stability, with a rim width at least equal to the height of two vertically adjacent rows of openings, and featuring through-holes for easier processing and improved connection between the grid and support frame, along with thicker grid bars near the edge for enhanced strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the protective screen uses a lattice structure with varying opening sizes in different areas, then the light transmission is optimized for different regions, but the stability and strength of the lattice varies across areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different opening sizes in different regions of the lattice structure. The first region has openings of a first size optimized for light transmission, while the second region has openings of a second size. This allows each area to have properties tailored to its specific functional requirements, resolving the contradiction between optimized light transmission and uniform stability.
2Area of stationary object
If the protective screen has a narrow edge, then the light transmission area is maximized, but the stability and strength of the protective screen is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a differentiated edge structure where the transition region between the first and second regions has a greater width than other parts of the lattice structure. This wider transition region provides enhanced strength and stability at the critical edge area, while the rest of the lattice maintains smaller openings for maximized light transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the contradiction by adding a dimensional aspect to the edge structure. Instead of a uniform one-dimensional width, the lattice structure incorporates a two-dimensional transition region with increased width, providing structural reinforcement at the edge while preserving the light transmission properties of the main lattice areas.
3Shape
If the protective screen is overmoulded with a plastic support frame, then the appearance is improved, but irregular transitions occur between the support frame and the lattice structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the lattice structure with a differentiated transition region that has greater width before the overmoulding process. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that when the plastic support frame is subsequently applied, the transition between the frame and lattice structure is uniform and regular, eliminating the irregular transitions that would otherwise occur.
Data Source
Figure 1~1a
Figure 2~2a
Figure 3~3a
AI summary
A protective screen (10) to protect the face and, above all, the eyes of a person against flying particles and sharp objects has a mesh (12) with a mesh structure which is formed from a plurality of adjacent rows of hexagonal openings (14), which rows are bounded by mesh webs (16) common to the openings (14). The openings (14) in the mesh (12) are each of substantially the same area. The mesh (12) is enclosed by an edge (18) with no mesh structure which has a width (B) which is at least equal to the height (H) of a row of openings (14) in the mesh structure. The mesh webs (16) of at least two rows of openings (14) adjacent to the edge (18) can be made thicker than the mesh webs for the other openings, wherein, however, all the openings in the mesh (12) are nevertheless substantially identical in area. The mesh (12) is produced by etching spring steel sheet. A visor for a safety helmet, especially a forestry worker's helmet is produced from the protective screen (10) by injection moulding a supporting frame around its edge (18).