Helmet Coupler Mechanism for Oblique Impact Energy Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional helmet designs that address both contact and non-contact injuries are often overly complex, heavy, costly, difficult to manufacture, and compromise proper fitting and airflow, while also failing to effectively dissipate energy from oblique impacts.
Innovation Solution
A helmet design featuring a helmet coupler that couples an outer liner and an inner liner together, allowing relative movement through a damped shear action, using displacement devices like silicone gel or thermoplastic urethane materials, and a coupler post that permits rotation and translation, while maintaining the layers in a coupled relationship during impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional helmet designs use multiple rigid layers to address both contact and non-contact injuries, then protection capability is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the inner liner movable relative to the outer liner, allowing the helmet structure to adapt dynamically during oblique impacts. The inner liner is designed to move independently within the outer liner, enabling energy dissipation through controlled movement rather than rigid resistance, thus reducing complexity while maintaining protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the helmet into distinct functional components: an outer liner and a movable inner liner. This segmentation allows each layer to perform specific functions - the outer liner provides structural integrity while the inner liner dissipates oblique impact energy through movement, simplifying the overall design by assigning dedicated roles to each component.
2Reliability
If conventional helmet designs use multiple rigid layers to address both contact and non-contact injuries, then protection capability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
By allowing the inner liner to move dynamically within the outer liner, the patent reduces the need for additional heavy rigid structures. The movable inner liner dissipates energy through controlled movement and friction, achieving protection with lighter materials compared to conventional multi-layer rigid designs.
3Reliability
If conventional helmet designs use complex multi-layer structures, then protection capability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the helmet into two main components - an outer liner and an inner liner - that can be manufactured separately using standard processes. The inner liner is then inserted into the outer liner, simplifying assembly compared to integrating complex multi-layer structures into a single monolithic component.
4Reliability
If conventional helmet designs use rigid multi-layer structures, then protection capability is improved, but airflow through the helmet is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The movable inner liner creates dynamic spacing between the inner and outer liners, allowing air to circulate more freely compared to rigid fixed structures. This dynamic configuration maintains protection capability while improving airflow and comfort during wear.
5Stability of the object's composition
If conventional helmet designs use fixed multi-layer structures, then structural integrity is maintained, but energy dissipation from oblique impacts is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a movable inner liner that can move independently within the outer liner during oblique impacts. This dynamic movement allows the inner liner to dissipate impact energy through controlled displacement and friction, significantly improving energy dissipation while maintaining structural integrity through the coupling mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful oblique impact energy into beneficial controlled movement of the inner liner. By allowing the inner liner to move in response to oblique impacts, the system transforms the harmful kinetic energy into useful energy dissipation through friction and controlled displacement, protecting the wearer effectively.
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 design effectively dissipates energy from oblique impacts, reduces weight and complexity, improves fitting and airflow, and maintains the structural integrity of the helmet components, thereby enhancing protection and comfort for the wearer.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one displacement device is positioned between the inner liner and the outer liner. The at least one displacement device has one side attached to an outer surface of the inner liner and an opposite side attached to an inner surface of the outer liner. The displacement device is configured to produce a damped shear action in response to relative movement of the inner liner and the outer liner from an oblique impact to the helmet
Implementation Method 2
The displacement device is configured to produce a damped shear action in response to relative movement of the inner liner and the outer liner from an oblique impact to the helmet
Implementation Method 3
The coupler post can have a smaller dimension than the first hole and the second hole, thereby allowing the first head and the second head to rotate and counter rotate relative to the first recess and the second recess, respectively
Data Source
AI summary
A helmet comprises an outer shell, an outer liner positioned inside of the outer shell, an inner liner positioned inside of the outer liner, at least one displacement device positioned between the inner liner and the outer liner, and at least one helmet coupler that couples at least the outer liner and the inner liner together. The coupler comprises a first head positioned in a first recess in the outer liner, and a second head positioned in a second recess in the inner liner. A coupler post extends through the outer liner and the inner liner to interconnect the first head and the second head. The displacement device produces a damped shear action in response to relative movement of the inner liner and the outer liner. The helmet coupler permits the relative movement and keeps the outer liner and the inner liner coupled together.