Foam Helmet Reinforcement with Cellular Strip Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional safety helmets face challenges in providing adequate structural strength and protection against lateral impacts due to the limitations of external plastic shells and internal foam filling bodies, which often result in increased weight and volume, and are difficult to manufacture with high security standards.
Innovation Solution
A reinforcement structure for safety helmets featuring a helmet body made of cushion foam material integrated with a semispherical structure body composed of multiple strip members, where the foam material is injected into a mold to bond with the structure body, forming a complex reinforcement structure that distributes impact forces uniformly without increasing the thickness of the plastic shell or using fiber layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness and weight of the plastic shell and foam filling body are increased to enhance security against sharp object impact and lateral impact, then the resistant force against impact is improved, but the volume and weight of the entire safety helmet are increased, increasing the load on the wearer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining foam filling body with fiber layers (such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, or aramid fiber) to create a hybrid structure. The fiber layers provide enhanced tensile strength and impact resistance, allowing the helmet to achieve higher strength without proportionally increasing weight, as fibers have high strength-to-weight ratios compared to traditional plastic shells
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by positioning fiber layers specifically at critical areas where impact forces are most likely to occur, such as the outer surface facing potential impacts and intermediate layers within the foam structure. This localized reinforcement provides targeted strength enhancement without uniformly increasing the weight of the entire helmet shell
2Strength
If a fiber layer is added to reinforce the foam filling body against sharp object impact, then the resistant force against sharp objects is improved, but the total weight of the helmet is increased and the manufacturing process becomes more troublesome and unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the fiber layers into predetermined configurations and positions before assembling them with the foam filling body. The fiber layers are prepared in advance with specific orientations and placements designed to counteract anticipated impact forces, allowing for more stable and repeatable manufacturing compared to adding fibers during the molding process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements the nested doll principle by placing fiber layers within and between foam filling body sections, creating a nested structure where fibers are embedded within the foam matrix. This nesting approach integrates the reinforcement into the existing foam structure, simplifying assembly compared to separate attachment processes and improving manufacturing stability
3Strength
If the plastic shell is thickened to increase resistant force against lateral impact and sharp object impact, then the security against impact is improved, but the volume of the entire safety helmet is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by replacing portions of the thick plastic shell with fiber-reinforced structures. The fiber layers provide high strength-to-volume ratios, allowing the helmet to maintain impact resistance while reducing the overall volume compared to a purely plastic thick-shell design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies flexible shells and thin films by using thin fiber layers that provide significant structural reinforcement despite their minimal thickness. These fiber films contribute to lateral impact resistance through their tensile strength and flexibility, allowing the helmet to withstand forces without requiring bulky plastic shell thickness
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 solution enhances the helmet's ability to absorb and distribute impact forces effectively, reducing weight and volume while maintaining high security standards, making it easier to manufacture and more effective in protecting against various forms of impacts.
Implementation Method 1
a cushion (foam) material is injected into a molding module to form a helmet body enclosing a helmet-shaped structure body
Implementation Method 2
The helmet body and the structure body are combined to form an integrated complex reinforcement structure
Implementation Method 3
When impacted by an external obtuse force, the irregularly tightly bonded foam particles can absorb the impact force and spread the impact force in all directions
Implementation Method 4
when impacted by a strong external force, the plastic shell can buffer the impact force and avoid breakage of the foam filling body
Data Source
AI summary
A reinforcement structure of safety helmet and a manufacturing method thereof. The reinforcement structure includes a helmet body formed of a cushion foam material; and a structure body integrated with the helmet body. The structure body is a texture at least composed of multiple strip members arranged in an array. The structure body is formed with a substantially cellular structure. The helmet body is defined with a top section and a peripheral section and the structure body is defined with a first section and a second section connected to the first section corresponding to the top section and peripheral section of the helmet body. The cushion foam material is injected into a molding module to enclose the first and second sections to form an integrated complex reinforcement structure, which is easier to manufacture and has higher structural strength, lighter weight and higher security.