Full-Face Helmet Facemask With Transparent Polymer Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional football helmets with full-face facemasks have limited visibility and increased weight due to numerous metal bars, which also pose a risk of being grabbed during gameplay, compromising safety.
Innovation Solution
A full-face facemask system with a reduced number of metal bars and a polymer-based cover that enhances visibility, reduces weight, and incorporates a reinforcement layer for improved impact performance, featuring clear or transparent plastic material and vent openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the number of metal bars in the facemask is increased to improve protection, then impact protection is improved, but visibility is reduced and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by replacing traditional rigid metal bar facemasks with a polymer-based cover that conforms to the facemask frame. This flexible shell provides protection while maintaining visibility, as it can be made transparent or translucent and does not block the player's field of view like solid metal bars would.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining a polymer-based cover with a facemask frame structure. The composite construction allows the facemask to have both protective strength from the frame and visibility from the transparent polymer cover, resolving the contradiction between protection and visibility.
2Strength
If the number of metal bars in the facemask is increased to improve protection, then impact protection is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer-based cover acts as a flexible shell that provides protection with minimal weight. Unlike traditional metal bars that require substantial mass for protection, the polymer shell achieves protective coverage while being significantly lighter, thus resolving the weight contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters from dense metal to lightweight polymer, achieving the same protective function with dramatically reduced weight. This parameter change allows the facemask to maintain impact protection while minimizing weight addition.
3Area of stationary object
If a polymer-based cover is used to improve visibility and reduce weight, then visibility is improved and weight is reduced, but impact protection may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by creating a composite structure where the polymer-based cover works in conjunction with the facemask frame. The frame provides the structural strength for impact protection while the transparent polymer cover provides visibility, allowing both functions to coexist without compromising either.
4Strength
If traditional metal bar facemasks are used to provide protection, then impact protection is provided, but players can be grabbed or restrained by grabbing the facemask
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible polymer-based cover eliminates the rigid metal bars that players can grab. The smooth, continuous surface of the polymer shell does not provide protruding elements for opponents to grip, thus eliminating the grabbing hazard while maintaining protective coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
The full-face helmet system comprises a full-facemask that combines the strength of a facemask frame and a reinforcement layer to allow for improved visibility, safety and impact performance, while reducing weight. The full-facemask comprises a reinforcement layer and a facemask frame, the reinforcement layer may be coupled to the external surface or internal surface of a facemask frame. The reinforcement layer may match or substantially match one or more contours of the facemask frame.