Customized Helmet Lining for Optronic Device Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing helmet inner linings with foam shims do not allow precise adjustment of optronic devices and can cause discomfort due to poor fit, while customized helmets are expensive and wasteful to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A method to create a customized lining for standard helmets using 3D scanning to measure user and helmet dimensions, defining a flexible cellular structure with varying densities and patterns to ensure precise optronic device positioning and comfort, manufactured using additive methods to reduce waste and time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a standard helmet with foam shims is used, then the helmet can be manufactured quickly and cheaply, but the optronic device positioning is imprecise and requires readjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The inner lining is divided into multiple separate foam portions (first portion, second portion, third portion) that can be individually manufactured and then assembled. This segmentation allows each portion to be precisely shaped for specific head zones while maintaining efficient manufacturing processes for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the lining have different cellular densities tailored to specific zones of the head. The first portion has a first cellular density, the second portion has a second cellular density, and the third portion has a third cellular density, allowing optimized comfort and positioning for different anatomical regions while achieving precise overall fit.
2Manufacturing precision
If a customized helmet is manufactured by moulding or machining, then the helmet fits the user's head precisely, but the manufacturing process is expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The method uses 3D scanning to capture the user's head geometry and helmet interior geometry in advance, then processes these measurements to generate a customized lining design before manufacturing. This preliminary digital modeling allows precise customization without the time-consuming traditional moulding or machining processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The lining portions are manufactured with specific cellular densities as a key parameter - the first portion has a first cellular density, the second portion has a second cellular density, and the third portion has a third cellular density. This parameter variation allows customization of both fit and comfort properties through additive manufacturing rather than traditional subtractive methods.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional foam shims are used for adjustment, then the lining can be manufactured simply, but the optronic device position cannot be precisely adjusted and causes discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The lining is segmented into multiple portions that can be manufactured using additive manufacturing processes, which are relatively simple and efficient. Each portion is designed with specific geometries and cellular structures that enable precise positioning when assembled together, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Each lining portion is designed with locally optimized properties including specific cellular densities and thicknesses tailored to different head zones. This local quality variation enables precise optronic device positioning and comfort optimization while maintaining ease of manufacture through modern additive processes.
4Adaptability or versatility
If customized helmets are manufactured, then the helmet is adapted to the user's head shape, but significant waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The lining portions are manufactured using additive manufacturing with controlled cellular density parameters. This approach creates customized components with precise material placement, significantly reducing waste compared to traditional subtractive manufacturing methods while maintaining full adaptability to the user's head shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The lining uses foam materials with controlled cellular structures that can be manufactured additively. This composite approach combines the adaptability of customized fit with the efficiency of additive manufacturing, minimizing material waste while achieving precise head adaptation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for fitting a pre-existing standard helmet to the head of a user, the helmet includes an optronic device intended to be positioned in front of the eyes of the user, the method comprising: A) measuring the dimensions of the user's head, the dimensions of the head comprising a volume of the head and a position of the eyes, B) obtaining the dimensions of the helmet, the dimensions of the helmet including a volume of the helmet, C) defining a lining for the helmet so as to ensure the positioning of the optronic device in front of the user's eyes, the lining having a top face that is intended to be applied against an inner face of the helmet and a bottom face that is intended to be applied against the user's head, the lining having a flexible cellular structure, the manufacture of the lining being adapted to the dimensions of the head and to the dimensions of the helmet, D) manufacturing the lining as defined in step C), and E) placing the lining inside the helmet.