Swimming Goggle Cushion Pad Buffer Unit Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional swimming goggle cushion pads, especially suction cup types, cause deformation stress on the face around the eye socket, leading to uncomfortable contact and water leakage due to their design, which fails to adequately fit the irregular surface contour of the eye socket.

Innovation Solution

A swimming goggle cushion pad with a buffer unit featuring support ribs and openings is designed to absorb deformation stress, providing support and restoring forces to ensure a comfortable fit without water leakage. The buffer unit is strategically arranged to match the contours of the eye socket, with more extensive arrangements corresponding to the zygomatic bone and fewer near the eyebrow, and varying in size from the nose bridge to the outer eye corner.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cushion pad is pushed hard against the wearer's face to tightly fit the irregular surface contour, then water leakage prevention is improved, but deformation stress is produced causing uncomfortable contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater leakage preventionVSAvoiddeformation stress

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cushion pad incorporates a porous buffer unit between the suction cup and the wearer's face. This porous structure absorbs deformation stress by allowing compression and expansion, reducing the harmful stress transmitted to the eye socket while maintaining the seal against water leakage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The buffer unit acts as an intermediary layer between the suction cup and the wearer's face. It mediates the force transmission by absorbing and distributing the deformation stress, preventing direct contact between the rigid suction cup structure and the sensitive facial skin.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the suction cup type cushion pad is used to achieve excellent air suction property, then water leakage prevention is improved, but deformation stress is produced causing panda eyes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater leakage preventionVSAvoiddeformation stress causing panda eyes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The porous buffer unit absorbs and distributes the suction force, preventing concentration of stress at specific points on the face that would cause panda eyes. The porous structure allows the force to be dispersed throughout the buffer material rather than transmitted directly to the facial bones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The buffer unit is positioned beforehand between the suction cup and the wearer's face to cushion against the deformation stress before it can cause harm. This pre-positioned cushioning layer protects the eye socket area from the harmful effects of suction-induced stress.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the face contact portion is made to fit the irregular surface contour, then engagement with zygomatic bone is improved, but deformation stress increases causing discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengagement with irregular surface contourVSAvoiddeformation stress

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The buffer unit has varying density or porosity in different regions to match the local requirements of the facial contour. Areas requiring more engagement (like the zygomatic bone region) have buffer properties optimized for that location, while still absorbing stress appropriately.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The buffer unit is designed to be dynamic in its response to pressure, allowing it to deform and adapt to the irregular facial surface while simultaneously absorbing the deformation stress. This dynamic behavior enables both good engagement and stress reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 buffer unit effectively absorbs deformation stress, ensuring a comfortable and secure fit that prevents water leakage by matching the irregular surface contours of the eye socket, reducing discomfort and 'panda eyes' when removing goggles.

Implementation Method 1

the buffer unit provides the face contact portion with support and restoring forces against a deformation stress produced between the cushion pad and the wearer's face when worn

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10206819B2Swimming goggle cushion pad

Publication Date: 2019.02.19 GLOBAL ESPRIT

AI summary

The present invention is to provide a swimming goggle swimming goggle cushion pad in contact with a wearer's face around the eye socket, comprising: a connection frame defined with an inner peripheral face and an outer peripheral face, a circumferential fitting groove mounted between the inner peripheral face and the outer peripheral face to receive a circumference of the swimming goggle frame; a face contact portion extending along the inner peripheral face of the connection frame and defined with an outer ring surface and an inner ring surface; a buffer unit disposed between the inner peripheral face of the connection frame and the outer ring surface of the face contact portion; wherein the buffer unit provides the face contact portion with support and restoring forces against a deformation stress produced between the cushion pad and the wearer's face when worn, to ensure a comfortable engagement with the wearer's face skin.