Impact Force Dispersing Apparatus for Glass Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Glass products, such as automobile windshields and home windows, are prone to breakage due to impact forces from debris, and existing manufacturing advancements to improve resilience are costly and may not effectively prevent breakage in existing products.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a housing with a contact member and a biasing member is used to inhibit glass breakage by transferring and dissipating impact forces, which includes a contact member disposed inside the housing, biased towards an aperture, and means to secure the housing to a glass surface, allowing the biasing member to absorb and redistribute impact forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If manufacturing advancements are made to improve glass resilience, then glass strength is improved, but product cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the glass protection function into two parts: the glass itself and a separate impact dispersing apparatus attached to it. This allows the glass to remain simple and inexpensive while the protective function is provided by the attached apparatus containing energy absorbing elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The impact dispersing apparatus acts as an intermediary between the impact force and the glass. It includes contact members that receive impact forces and transfer them to energy absorbing elements, preventing direct transmission of high impact forces to the glass surface.
2Ease of manufacture
If existing glass products are used without manufacturing advancements, then product cost is reduced, but glass reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The impact dispersing apparatus is attached to existing glass products before they encounter impact forces. The apparatus is pre-configured with biasing members and energy absorbing elements that are ready to activate upon impact, providing protection without requiring modification of the glass itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of energy absorbing elements upon impact - they deform or compress to absorb energy. This parameter change allows the apparatus to dynamically respond to impact forces, protecting the glass while maintaining simplicity of the glass product itself.
3Device complexity
If impact forces are directly applied to glass, then structural simplicity is maintained, but glass strength is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the glass structure from the impact protection function. The glass remains structurally simple while the attached apparatus handles impact dispersion through multiple components including contact members, biasing members, and energy absorbing elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact members serve as intermediaries between impact forces and the glass surface. They transfer forces to energy absorbing elements rather than allowing direct application to the glass, reducing peak stresses on the glass while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
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 solution effectively reduces the likelihood and severity of glass breakage by absorbing and redistributing impact forces, potentially without altering the manufacturing process of glass products and providing additional features like monitoring and customization.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member biasing the contact member toward the housing aperture... impact force is transferred from the glass item to the biasing member via the contact member
Data Source
AI summary
A device for reducing impact forces upon a surface includes a base comprising a first contact portion and a transition portion, a contact member disposed between the base and the surface; and a biasing portion disposed between the first contact portion of the base and the surface. At least a first portion of an impact force upon the surface is transferred from the contact member to the base, and a second portion of the impact force is subsequently returned to the surface, the second portion being less than the first portion.