Fluid-Filled Helmet Liner for Repetitive Impact Dissipation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Concussive injuries and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from repetitive head trauma are significant concerns in sports and military settings, with existing helmets failing to adequately protect against both symptomatic and sub-concussive impacts due to the degradation of foam liners under fatigue.
Innovation Solution
A helmet design incorporating a cell-pack structure with fluid-filled, flexible cells and channels that dissipate impact energy through modulated dissipation, using a network of interconnected cells and channels filled with fluids like shear-thickening materials to absorb and redistribute energy without relying on solid structure deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If foam liners are used in traditional helmets, then impact protection is provided initially, but the foam degrades under fatigue and loses protective capability over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces solid foam liners with a network of flexible cells filled with viscous fluid. The fluid dynamics within these cells provide energy dissipation during impact through controlled flow and viscosity effects, eliminating the fatigue degradation issue inherent in solid foam materials. The hydraulic system maintains consistent protective properties over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes materials whose physical parameters change in response to impact conditions. The viscous fluid's resistance characteristics change dynamically during impact events, providing adaptive protection. The fluid's viscosity and flow properties remain stable over the service life, unlike foam that degrades.
2Strength
If shear-thickening fluids are used in the cell-pack structure, then energy dissipation during impact is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous or cellular structure filled with shear-thickening fluid. This configuration allows the complex functionality of shear-thickening materials to be integrated within a relatively simple cell-pack architecture. The fluid-filled cells provide the necessary energy dissipation while maintaining manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines shear-thickening fluids with flexible cell structures to create a composite system. This composite approach integrates the impact-enhancing properties of shear-thickening materials with the structural benefits of flexible cells, achieving superior energy dissipation without excessive complexity.
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 cell-pack structure provides enhanced impact protection by maintaining energy dissipation capabilities over time, offering improved protection against both linear and rotational impacts, reducing the risk of CTE and concussive injuries.
Implementation Method 1
A helmet design incorporating a cell-pack structure with fluid-filled, flexible cells and channels that dissipate impact energy through modulated dissipation
Implementation Method 2
using a network of interconnected cells and channels filled with fluids like shear-thickening materials to absorb and redistribute energy
Data Source
AI summary
Protective headwear such as a helmet, a method of making and a method of using the same are provided. The protective headwear includes a shell having an exterior surface and an interior surface and configured to accept the head of a subject, and at least one cushioning member disposed on and at least partially covering the interior surface. The cushioning member includes a cell pack structure, which comprises a plurality of flexible cells defining a plurality of internal cavities, a plurality of channels fluidly connected with the plurality of cells to provide a network of cells, and a fluid disposed within the plurality of internal cavities and the plurality of channels. The plurality of cells comprise a first type of cells and a second type of smaller cells. The cells and the channels are made of the same or different materials.