Inflatable Helmet with Lattice Struts for Impact Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inflatable helmets lack the rigidity and protection of traditional hard helmets, often collapsing or deforming under impact, and fail to fold compactly, making them inconvenient to carry.
Innovation Solution
A helmet design featuring longitudinal chambers and connecting struts with a flange structure that expands to provide rigidity and absorb impact, while allowing for deflation to a compact form, using flexible yet non-stretchable materials like HDPE or carbon fiber, with internal bracing and a safety indicator to prevent over-inflation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hard helmets are used, then head protection is effective, but the helmet is bulky and inconvenient to carry
Solution Approach 1:
The helmet transitions from a static hard structure to a dynamic inflatable structure. When inflated, the chambers provide rigid protection; when deflated, the structure collapses to a compact form. This dynamic state change allows the helmet to resolve the contradiction between protection effectiveness and portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the helmet material changes from rigid (when inflated) to flexible (when deflated). By changing the inflation parameter, the helmet transforms its structural properties, enabling it to provide hard protection when needed and compact storage when not in use.
2Volume of moving object
If inflatable helmets are used to reduce size, then portability improves, but the helmet lacks rigidity and collapses under impact
Solution Approach 1:
The helmet is divided into multiple longitudinal chambers that can independently deform and absorb impact. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain some rigidity while still being collapsible, as the individual chambers can compress separately rather than the entire structure failing at once.
Solution Approach 2:
The helmet uses composite construction with inflatable chambers surrounded by flanges and connected by struts. This composite structure provides the necessary rigidity when inflated while maintaining the ability to collapse compactly when deflated, resolving the contradiction between strength and compressibility.
3Volume of moving object
If grid-like lattice structure is used, then the helmet can be deflated, but it is vulnerable to collapse from side forces and does not fold well
Solution Approach 1:
The helmet structure dynamically transitions between inflated and deflated states. When inflated, the chambers and struts form a stable configuration resistant to side forces. When deflated, the entire structure collapses uniformly to a compact form, avoiding the folding problems of rigid lattice structures.
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 offers effective head protection by distributing impact forces and maintaining structural integrity during inflation and deflation, ensuring the helmet can be safely worn and stored in a compact form.
Implementation Method 1
The inflatable chamber comprises two walls 23, 23' which enclose a volume of air 24
Implementation Method 2
a helmet protects the wearer both by spreading an impact over a larger area, and by absorbing energy by deformation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A helmet (10) which has a plurality of substantially longitudinal members (20) arranged side-by-side, the longitudinal members (20) being in fluid communication with each other. It has a first inflated state in which the longitudinal members (20) are distributed to form a substantially concave shape, and a second compressed state in which the longitudinal members (20) lie flat and substantially coincident against each other. Each longitudinal member (20) is separated from neighbouring longitudinal members (20) by a tubular connecting member (30) in a lattice configuration. The helmet (10) may be made of HDPE or nylon.