Cycling Helmet Spacers Prevent Layer Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cycling helmets fail to prevent mechanical locking between layers upon impact, which can lead to severe head rotation and injury due to tangential forces.
Innovation Solution
A cycling helmet design featuring an inner layer and an outer protective layer with spacers to prevent mechanical locking, allowing relative movement between the layers, and optionally incorporating a corrugated surface or separate elements to enhance the gap between the layers for improved impact absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the outer protective layer is designed to move relative to the inner layer under tangential impact, then head rotation is reduced and safety is improved, but mechanical locking between layers may occur which restricts movement and reduces effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
A suspension system acts as an intermediary between the outer protective layer and the inner layer, allowing controlled relative movement while preventing direct mechanical locking. The suspension elements (straps, elastic bands, or rigid connectors) mediate the interaction between layers, enabling the outer layer to move independently during tangential impact to reduce head rotation, while maintaining connection to prevent complete separation.
2Reliability
If spacers are added to prevent mechanical locking between layers, then layer movement is maintained and safety is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system and spacer functions are merged into a single integrated structure. The suspension elements are designed to inherently maintain the gap between layers through their geometric configuration and mechanical properties, eliminating the need for separate spacer components. This integration reduces part count, simplifies assembly, and lowers manufacturing complexity while maintaining the ability to prevent mechanical locking.
3Reliability
If the gap between layers is increased to improve impact absorption and reduce mechanical locking, then safety is enhanced, but helmet volume and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gap between layers is made dynamic rather than fixed. The suspension system allows the distance between the outer protective layer and inner layer to vary based on impact conditions - maintaining a smaller gap during normal use to minimize volume, and automatically increasing the gap during tangential impact to enhance protection and prevent mechanical locking. This dynamic adjustment optimizes both compactness and safety performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Helmet (1) comprising: an inner layer (3) comprising an outer surface (3a, 31a) and an outer protective layer (2) arranged on the inner layer (3), the outer protective layer (2) comprising an inner surface (2a) facing the outer surface (3a, 31a) of the inner layer (3), wherein under an impact force having at least a tangential force component along an outer surface of the outer protective layer (2), the outer protective layer (2) is configured to move relative to the opposing outer surface (3a, 31a) of the inner layer (3), wherein the inner surface (2a) of the outer protective layer (2) is separated from the outer surface (3a, 31a) of the inner layer by a plurality of spacers (4, 40) for reducing a mechanical locking between the inner layer (3) and the outer protective layer (2) upon said relative movement of the outer protective layer (2) with respect to the inner layer (3).