Helmet Harness Coupler for Damping and 6-DOF Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional helmet harnesses lack the ability to provide effective cushioning and alignment while allowing for six degrees of freedom (yaw, roll, and pitch) movement, which is essential for comfort and safety during various activities.
Innovation Solution
A helmet harness system comprising an outer frame, an inner frame, and a coupler with a dampening shock absorber that aligns and allows movement between the frames, featuring a plurality of ribs, notches, and cores with splines and teeth for secure engagement, enabling dynamic adjustment and absorption of rotational forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional helmet harness is used, then the structure is simple, but it lacks the ability to provide effective cushioning and dampening while allowing six degrees of freedom movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the inner frame is positioned within the outer frame, with the coupler connecting them. The dampening shock absorber is nested within the coupler assembly, creating a compact multi-functional unit that provides both structural support and shock absorption without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic elements including the dampening shock absorber that actively responds to impact forces, and the coupler mechanism that allows six degrees of freedom movement between the inner and outer frames. This dynamic design enables the harness to adapt to various movement conditions while maintaining safety
2Ease of operation
If the helmet harness allows six degrees of freedom movement for comfort, then user comfort improves, but the alignment and stability between helmet and harness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dampening shock absorber acts as a feedback mechanism that continuously responds to relative movement between the inner and outer frames. When movement occurs, the shock absorber activates to provide restoring force, automatically guiding the frames back to proper alignment without restricting the six degrees of freedom movement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler is pre-configured with the dampening shock absorber and alignment features (such as the circular hole and rib structures) that prepare the system for potential misalignment. This preliminary setup ensures that when movement occurs, the alignment mechanisms are already in place to restore proper positioning
3Reliability
If a coupler with dampening shock absorber is added to provide cushioning, then safety improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the coupler assembly: mechanical connection between frames, dampening of shock forces, and alignment maintenance. By combining these functions into a single integrated component rather than separate elements, the overall device complexity is reduced while maintaining comprehensive safety capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler assembly serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it connects the inner and outer frames, provides dampening through the shock absorber, maintains alignment through its geometric features, and allows six degrees of freedom movement. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional separate components
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 system provides enhanced cushioning, alignment, and freedom of movement, ensuring comfort and safety by absorbing rotational forces and allowing the helmet to move with respect to the harness while maintaining secure positioning on the head.
Implementation Method 1
A dampening shock absorber provides cushioning and dampening for the user. The dampening shock absorber also aligns the helmet, outer frame, and inner frame with respect to each other, but also allows them to move with respect to each other and return to an aligned position.
Data Source
AI summary
A helmet harness (5000) has an outer frame (5015), an inner frame (5020), and a coupler (5010). The outer frame has a central portion with a plurality of notches (5510). The inner frame has a central portion with an approximately circular hole (5610). The coupler has a first section (5025), a second section (5035), an upper core (5030) between the first section and the second section, the upper core having a hollow central column (5110) and a plurality of supports (5030) surrounding the hollow central column, a third section (5045), and a lower core (5050) between the second section and the third section. The lower core is a sprocket having a plurality of splines (5060) for engaging the plurality of notches of the outer frame. The central portion of the outer frame and the central portion of the inner frame are between the second section and the third section.