Helmet Neck Cover Composite Material for Wind Noise Reduction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Full-face-type helmets with existing neck and chin covers suffer from significant noise intrusion due to the permeability of urethane foam materials, leading to loud wind sounds and fogging issues, while mesh cloth chin covers do not effectively address these problems.

Innovation Solution

A full-face-type helmet neck cover and chin cover combination using a flexible foamed synthetic resin with reduced permeability, supported by a non-permeable sheet-type material, to minimize wind noise and prevent fogging, with specific design features such as annular shapes and intermittent portions for optimal attachment and coverage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If urethane foam is used as the flexible cover member material, then flexibility and comfort are improved, but wind noise permeability increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidwind noise
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite structure combining urethane foam (for flexibility and comfort) with mesh cloth (for wind noise reduction). The mesh cloth is integrated into the flexible cover member, creating a multi-layer composite material that simultaneously provides both flexibility and noise isolation properties that neither material could achieve alone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If mesh cloth is used as the flexible cover member material, then wind noise permeability is reduced, but comfort and flexibility deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewind noiseVSAvoidcomfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines mesh cloth (for wind noise reduction) with urethane foam (for comfort and flexibility) in a composite structure. The urethane foam layer provides the necessary comfort and flexibility, while the mesh cloth layer reduces wind noise permeability, achieving both goals simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Productivity

If ventilator and stabilizer structures are made complicated and bulky, then air flow control is improved, but wind noise generation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow controlVSAvoidwind noise
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of wind noise generated by the ventilator and stabilizer into a beneficial outcome by using the mesh cloth flexible cover member to capture and redirect the wind flow. The mesh structure allows air to pass through while reducing turbulence and noise, transforming the noisy wind flow into a quieter, more controlled airflow pattern.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

4Ease of operation

If the flexible cover member is made thin, then comfort is improved, but sound isolation capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecomfortVSAvoidsound isolation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite structure where a thin urethane foam layer (providing comfort) is combined with a mesh cloth layer (providing sound isolation). This composite approach allows the cover member to remain thin and comfortable while the mesh cloth component maintains effective sound isolation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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

Effectively prevents wind noise from entering the helmet and reduces fogging on the shield plate, allowing for better sound isolation and clearer external voice perception.

Implementation Method 1

a flexible cover member which is mainly made of a substantially plate-like foamed synthetic resin... a permeability of the foamed synthetic resin measured by using a Frajour type method based on JIS L 1096 falls within a range of 0.1 to 10 cc/cm2·sec

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 2

a flexible support member which supports the cushion member... made of a substantially non-permeable sheet-type material such as an artificial leather sheet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentUS7805775B2Neck cover for full face type helmet and full face type helmet
Publication Date: 2010.10.05 SHOEI CO LTD
  • US7805775B2 patent drawing
  • US7805775B2 patent drawing
  • US7805775B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A neck cover (51) includes a flexible cover member (53) and a to-be-attached portion (52) which serves to attach the flexible cover member (53) to a head protecting body (3) of a full-face-type helmet (1). The flexible cover member (53) comprises a substantially plate-like flexible cushion member (56) and a flexible support member (57) which supports the flexible cushion member (56). The flexible cover member (53) is mainly made of a substantially plate-like foamed synthetic resin, a permeability of which measured by using a Frajour type method based on JIS L 1096 falls within a range of 0.1 to 10 cc/cm2·sec (preferably 0.2 to 5 cc/cm2·sec and more preferably 0.3 to 2 cc/cm2·sec).Therefore, a sound which is generated by a traveling wind as it is caught in a ventilator, stabilizer, or the like is effectively prevented from being heard as loud noise to a helmet wearer.