Interlocking Hexagonal Armor Material for Flexible Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current materials lack flexibility and rigidity in a single product, with most being either completely flexible or rigid, failing to provide adequate protection and mobility, especially in lightweight armor and electronic screens.
Innovation Solution
A material composed of interlocking parts with a hexagonal shape and angled loops that allows bending in one direction while becoming rigid in another, with adjustable gaps for varying flexibility and rigidity, created using 3D printing or similar methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If lightweight flexible armor materials are used, then mobility and comfort are improved, but protective capability against projectiles and stabbing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The armor is divided into numerous individual interlocking elements that can independently deform and absorb energy. Each element is a self-contained unit with specific geometric features that contribute to both flexibility and protection, allowing the material to maintain protective capabilities while enabling mobility through controlled deformation of individual segments
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple materials with different properties - a flexible base material (such as rubber or polymer) with rigid reinforcing elements (such as metal or hard plastic inserts). This composite structure allows the armor to exhibit both flexible behavior for mobility and rigid behavior for protection, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability
2Reliability
If rigid armor plates are used, then protective capability is improved, but flexibility and mobility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the armor have different mechanical properties - areas requiring flexibility use more compliant materials and looser interlocking, while areas requiring protection use rigid materials and tighter interlocking. The interlocking elements themselves have localized rigid features (such as protrusions and recesses) that engage only when force is applied, allowing the material to be flexible during normal movement but rigid when protecting against threats
3Reliability
If traditional armor layers are used, then basic protection is provided, but resistance to stabbing and slashing is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking elements feature curved surfaces and rounded edges rather than flat planes and sharp corners. This curvature causes stabbing and slashing forces to deflect along the curved surfaces rather than penetrating directly, distributing the force across multiple elements and preventing easy penetration by sharp objects
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking mechanism is designed so that when a stabbing or slashing force is applied, the harmful force causes the interlocking elements to engage more firmly with each other, converting the penetrating force into a locking action that prevents further penetration. The force that would normally break through the armor instead tightens the interlocking connection
Data Source
AI summary
A material created from interlocking parts is shown and described. Each interlocking includes a first side connected to a main beam at one end and a second side connected to the opposing end of the main beam. The interlocking part includes plurality of loops connected at least to the main beam. The interlocking part is configured to be secured to at least one additional interlocking part via the loops.