Helmet Connector with Sliding Shells for Rotational Impact Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current helmets designed to mitigate oblique impacts often require complex and bulky components to allow sliding between inner and outer shells, making them expensive and difficult to adapt, while existing solutions fail to effectively reduce rotational acceleration-induced injuries such as MTBI and DAI.
Innovation Solution
A helmet design featuring inner and outer shells that slide relative to each other, connected by a connector system with protrusions and channels that allow controlled sliding, utilizing a low-friction intermediate layer and resilient structures to absorb and dissipate rotational energy, thereby reducing the transmission of rotational forces to the brain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex components are used to allow sliding between inner and outer shells, then the helmet can mitigate oblique impacts, but the helmet becomes expensive and bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate components: a connector body with channels and distinct protrusions (abutment protrusions and resilient protrusions). This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function independently, simplifying manufacturing and assembly while maintaining the sliding capability for impact mitigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient protrusions act as intermediary elements between the rigid connector body and the sliding interface. These protrusions provide the necessary compliance and energy absorption during impact while maintaining the connection between shells, eliminating the need for complex damping mechanisms.
2Reliability
If complex components are used to allow sliding between inner and outer shells, then the helmet can mitigate oblique impacts, but the helmet takes up large space
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the connector into compact functional elements (channels, abutment protrusions, resilient protrusions), the overall volume required for the sliding mechanism is minimized. Each segment performs a specific function within a small space, allowing the helmet to maintain impact mitigation capability without sacrificing internal volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient protrusions provide dynamic compliance during impact, allowing the connector to adapt to impact forces without requiring large clearance spaces. The protrusions deform elastically to absorb energy, enabling compact design while maintaining protective function.
3Stability of the object's composition
If existing connector designs are used, then the shells can remain connected, but they cannot easily be adapted to allow sliding
Solution Approach 1:
The connector design transitions from static rigid connections to dynamic sliding connections through the resilient protrusions. These protrusions allow the connector to adapt its behavior based on loading conditions: remaining stable during normal use but enabling controlled sliding during impact, thus providing both stability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector allows change in the degree of freedom between shells through parameter changes in the resilient protrusions. The protrusions can transition from a constrained state (maintaining connection stability) to a sliding state (allowing impact mitigation), providing adaptability while maintaining structural integrity.
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 reduces rotational acceleration by up to 75%, minimizing the risk of injuries like MTBI, SDH, and DAI by dissipating rotational energy through sliding motion, while maintaining a compact and adaptable structure.
Implementation Method 1
the resilient structures extending between the attachment parts and configured to connect the attachment parts so as to allow the attachment parts to move relative to each other as the resilient structures deform
Implementation Method 2
the protrusions and channels are configured such that the protrusions can move within the channels in an extension direction of the protrusions, during sliding of the inner and outer shells relative to each other
Data Source
Figure 1~3C
Figure 4~5
Figure 6
AI summary
A helmet (1) comprising: inner (3) and outer (2) shells configured to slide relative to each other; and a connector (50) connecting the inner and outer shells so as to allow the inner and the outer shells to slide relative to each other, the connector comprising: an attachment part (51) attached to one of the inner shell and the outer shell; wherein: the attachment part comprises one or more protrusions (70) and the inner or outer shell attached to the attachment part comprises one or more channels (80) into which the protrusions extend, the protrusions and channels are configured such that the protrusions can move within the channels in an extension direction of the protrusions, during sliding of the inner and outer shells relative to each other, and the protrusions comprise an abutment member (71) configured to abut an abutment portion of the channel to prevent the protrusion leaving the channel.