Lacrosse Helmet Inflatable Occipital Pad and Ventilation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lacrosse helmets lack optimal design features for comprehensive head and facial protection, ventilation, and customizable fit, which can lead to inadequate protection and discomfort during sports play.
Innovation Solution
A lacrosse helmet with a rigid single-piece shell made of polycarbonate or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic, featuring acclivities for defined features, ventilation holes, a removable jaw protector, and customizable padding assemblies for shock absorption and comfort, including inflatable occipital pads and various comfort layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid single-piece shell is used for helmet construction, then protection strength is improved, but ventilation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates ventilation holes directly into the rigid single-piece shell, creating a porous structure that allows air flow while maintaining the overall structural integrity and protective strength of the shell. The shell remains rigid and protective while having strategic openings for ventilation.
2Ease of operation
If customizable padding assemblies are added for shock absorption and fit, then comfort and protection are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The padding system is divided into separate, removable components including front pads, rear pads, and lateral pads that can be independently adjusted or replaced. This segmentation allows customization of fit and protection without requiring a completely complex integrated system, as each pad can be individually configured.
Solution Approach 2:
The padding assemblies are designed to be removable and adjustable, allowing dynamic reconfiguration of the helmet to match different head shapes and sizes. Users can add, remove, or reposition padding components to achieve optimal fit and protection levels.
3Stability of the object's composition
If acclivities are integrally formed in the shell to define features, then structural support is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acclivities and structural features are integrally formed as part of the single-piece shell, combining the shell structure and support features into one unified component. This merging eliminates the need for separate support elements and simplifies the overall manufacturing process despite the complex geometry, as the entire structure is formed in a single molding operation.
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 helmet provides enhanced protection, improved ventilation, and a customizable fit, ensuring better safety and comfort for the wearer during sports activities by integrating acclivities for structural support, ventilation holes for airflow, and adjustable padding for personalized fit and shock absorption.
Implementation Method 1
backed by an inflatable occipital pad
Implementation Method 2
through-going ventilation holes located for example in its valleys and depressions and in the channel
Implementation Method 3
padding assembles on its inner surface for shock absorption, protection, comfort
Data Source
AI summary
A sports helmet comprises a single-piece plastic shell, an occipital shock absorber attached to the inner surface of the shell in the rear region to at least partially overlie an occipital area of the head, an inflatable occipital pad removably attached to the inner surface of the shell in the rear region and positioned between the inner surface of the shell and the lateral padding assembly to push the occipital shock absorber forward when the occipital pad is inflated. The occipital pad comprises a top sheet and a bottom sheet bonded together, a plurality of inflatable pockets formed in the top sheet and fluidly connected through channels formed in the top sheet, a valve assembly for inflating the plurality of inflatable pockets, the valve assembly bonded to the bottom sheet. The valve assembly extends through a hole in the shell for inflation.