Protective Headgear Outer Layer Rupturing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional protective headgear and armour often fail to effectively absorb and dissipate the rotational forces of impacts, leading to potential head or body injuries due to limited energy absorption capacity and direct transmission of forces to the user.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a shell with an outer layer that mimics the human scalp's movement relative to the skull, featuring a rupturing or yielding mechanism to absorb and distribute impact forces, reducing rotational forces transmitted to the head or body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional hard protective headgear is used, then impact resistance is improved, but rotational force transmission to the head increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective headgear is divided into multiple functional layers: a hard outer shell for impact resistance, a middle layer with rupturing means for rotational force management, and an inner liner for energy absorption. This segmentation allows each layer to address specific aspects of protection, resolving the contradiction between impact resistance and rotational force transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The middle layer with rupturing means acts as an intermediary between the hard outer shell and the inner liner. This intermediary layer specifically addresses rotational forces by allowing controlled rupture and relative movement, preventing direct transmission of rotational forces to the head while maintaining the protective function of the hard shell.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the outer layer is firmly attached to the shell, then structural integrity is improved, but energy absorption capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment between the outer layer and shell transitions from static to dynamic through the rupturing means. During normal use, the attachment maintains structural integrity. During impact, the rupturing means allows controlled failure and relative movement, enabling energy absorption through dynamic deformation rather than rigid resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment strength parameter is specifically designed to change during impact events. The rupturing means is configured with specific strength characteristics that allow it to remain intact during normal use but fail in a controlled manner during impact, changing the attachment parameter from strong to weakened state to enable energy absorption.
3Weight of moving object
If the protective headgear is designed to be lightweight, then user comfort is improved, but protection effectiveness against severe impacts decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective headgear uses composite material structure with different layers serving different functions. The hard outer shell provides impact resistance, the middle layer with rupturing means manages rotational forces, and the inner liner absorbs energy. This composite approach maximizes protection effectiveness while minimizing weight by using each material only where it is most effective.
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 significantly reduces the transmission of rotational forces to the brain, enhancing impact protection by mimicking the human head's energy absorption and distribution mechanisms, thereby preventing damage from sudden rotational motions.
Implementation Method 1
upon failure of the rupturing means at the one or more locations, the received force causes at least part of the outer layer receiving the force to move relative to the shell in a manner which is similar to the protective movement of the human scalp relative to the skull
Implementation Method 2
the rupturing means is configured so as to fail when a force greater than a selected threshold is received on an outer surface of the headgear which acts in an at least part tangential direction to rotate the headgear and the head of the user
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides protective headgear comprising a shell (26) having an inwardly facing surface which in use faces the head (10) of a user of the headgear and an outwardly facing surface which in use faces away from the head (10) of a user. An outer layer (28) overlies at least a portion of the outwardly facing surface of the shell (26) and rupturing means (30) is provided for fixedly attaching the outer layer (28) to the remainder of the headgear at one or more locations. The rupturing means (30) is configured so as to fail when a force greater than a selected threshold is received on an outer surface (28) of the headgear which acts in an at least part tangential direction to rotate the headgear and the head (10) of the user. Upon failure of the rupturing means (30) at the one or more locations, the received force causes at least part of the outer layer (28) receiving the force to move relative to the shell (26) in a manner which is similar to the protective movement of the human scalp (18) relative to the skull (16). The present invention also relates to protective armor (100) and to a method of modifying protective headgear and protective armor.