Modular Protective Apparel Plate and Cushioning System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current athletic apparel combinations of foam components and plates for impact protection often lack flexibility, breathability, and ease of use, as they are rigidly integrated, limiting their adaptability to different athletic activities and comfort.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a plate element and a cushioning element using a hook-and-loop fastening system, where the plate element is secured to the cushioning element, allowing for separability and reconfiguration to suit various athletic needs, providing both impact distribution and attenuation while maintaining breathability and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If foam components and plates are rigidly integrated in athletic apparel, then impact protection is provided, but flexibility and adaptability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The protective apparatus is divided into separate modular components: a cushioning element and a plate element that can be independently positioned and secured. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while enabling reconfiguration for different athletic activities and body areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system allows the plate element to be dynamically repositioned and resecured to different locations on the cushioning element or apparel, providing adaptability for various athletic activities and impact zones rather than being fixed in a single rigid position.
2Strength
If foam components and plates are rigidly integrated, then impact force distribution is achieved, but breathability and comfort are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the plate element from the cushioning element, the design allows air circulation spaces between components and prevents complete sealing against the skin, thereby maintaining breathability while still achieving impact force distribution when the elements are positioned together.
Solution Approach 2:
The cushioning element functions as a flexible intermediary layer between the rigid plate and the athlete's body, providing comfort and allowing the plate to be positioned at optimal locations without direct skin contact, thereby maintaining breathability.
3Strength
If foam components and plates are combined for enhanced protection, then impact attenuation and distribution are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective system is segmented into two simple, distinct components (cushioning element and plate element) rather than a single complex integrated structure, making each component easier to manufacture and adjust while maintaining the combined protective effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The separate cushioning and plate elements can be used together for enhanced protection or separately for lighter protection needs, providing multiple functional options and reducing the need for different specialized protective gear for various activities.
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
This configuration enhances the adaptability and comfort of protective apparel by allowing the plate element to be easily separated or repositioned, providing effective impact protection while ensuring breathability and a low overall mass, suitable for diverse athletic activities.
Implementation Method 1
The plate element has a first part of a hook-and-loop fastening system, and the cushioning element incorporates a second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system. The first part of the hook-and-loop fastening system is joinable to the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening system to secure the plate element to the cushioning element.
Data Source
AI summary
Protective components may include a plate element and a cushioning element that are secured together with a hook-and-loop fastening system. The cushioning element may include a pair of material layers and a pad or a plurality of pad components located between the material layers. The plate element may include a polymer material and the pad may include a polymer foam material.