Inflatable Bladder Agitation for Decompressed Foam Landing Pits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foam landing pits used in gymnastics and extreme sports become less effective over time due to foam compaction, leading to increased impact forces and higher injury risks as the reduced air space between foam pieces minimizes deflection and maximizes impact force during landings.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable bladder system is positioned at the bottom and sides of the foam pit enclosure, with inflatable extensions that can be inflated to decompress and redistribute the foam pieces, increasing the air space and maintaining the foam's ability to absorb impacts effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If foam pieces are used in a landing pit, then impact absorption is provided, but foam compaction occurs over time reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an inflatable bladder system that can be dynamically inflated and deflated to agitate and redistribute foam pieces. This dynamic mechanism reverses compaction by lifting and dropping foam pieces, restoring air spaces and maintaining impact absorption effectiveness throughout the service life of the landing pit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic inflation and deflation cycles of the bladder to continuously maintain foam decomposition. By operating at regular intervals, the bladder prevents permanent compaction and extends the effective service life of the foam pieces without requiring replacement.
2Productivity
If repeated landings occur in foam pit, then training is enabled, but foam compaction increases impacting safety
Solution Approach 1:
The bladder system performs preliminary agitation before each landing sequence by inflating to lift foam pieces and create air spaces. This pre-action ensures the foam is in an optimal decompressed state ready to absorb impact, preventing harmful compaction effects before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the foam pit to self-maintain its cushioning properties through automated bladder operation. The foam pieces are periodically redistributed by the bladder without external intervention, allowing the system to service itself and maintain safety standards throughout intensive training use.
3Force
If foam pieces are compacted, then air space is reduced, but impact force is maximized increasing injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The rapid inflation and deflation of the bladder creates mechanical vibrations and movements that agitate foam pieces. This vibration effect prevents foam from settling into compacted states, maintaining air spaces that reduce impact force transmission and lower injury probability during landings.
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 system effectively decompresses and randomizes the foam pieces, allowing for safer landings by distributing the impact force over a larger area, reducing the likelihood of injury and maintaining the foam's ability to absorb kinetic energy effectively.
Implementation Method 1
Upon applying air to inflate the inflatable bladder and the one or more inflatable extensions via the blower connection... the inflatable bladder and the one or more inflatable extensions occupy at least fifty percent of a volume of the enclosure
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus and method for agitating and rearranging a grouping of individual cushioning articles in an enclosed container are disclosed. The method and device may protect and individual from an injury resulting from landing in the enclosed container when the individual cushioning articles are overly compressed and lack appropriate spacing in order to absorb the kinetic energy of an individual landing in the enclosed container. The apparatus may include an air actuated inflatable bladder with inflatable extensions that may be utilized to lift and/or separate the cushioning articles, thus allowing the cushioning articles to be repositioned in a random, non-uniform, fashion. Such an arrangement may facilitate training for exercises wherein a skill cushion and/or semi-solid surface is used to practice landings. Training routines may utilize a skirt attachment or landing mat to simulate landing on ground.