Moldable Wrist Guard for Baseball Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Batters in sports like baseball and softball are vulnerable to injuries from errant pitches due to the lack of effective hand and wrist protection.
Innovation Solution
A customizable batter hand guard with a rigid, curved wrist side extension made from moldable and hardenable material that forms a customized shape around the wrist, providing enhanced protection by dispersing impact forces and maintaining proper alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid hand guard is used to protect against impact, then protection effectiveness is improved, but comfort and adaptability to different hand sizes deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The hand guard incorporates a flexible wrist strap that can be adjusted to different lengths and tensions, allowing the same rigid protective structure to adapt to various hand sizes and wrist circumferences. The flexible portion bends and conforms to the wearer's anatomy while maintaining protective rigidity where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The hand guard design features rigid portions for impact protection combined with flexible portions for comfort and adaptability. The rigid sections are strategically placed to protect vulnerable areas, while flexible sections are positioned to accommodate different body shapes and provide adjustable fit.
2Reliability
If a customized hand guard is manufactured for each batter, then fit and protection are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hand guard is divided into modular components: rigid protective sections and flexible adjustable sections. This segmentation allows standardized mass production of rigid portions while enabling customization through simple adjustment of flexible portions, reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows customization through parameter adjustments in the flexible portions (such as strap length, tension, and curvature) rather than requiring complete custom manufacturing of each unit. This enables adaptability while maintaining standardized production processes for the core protective structure.
3Strength
If the wrist side extension is made rigid for protection, then impact resistance is improved, but flexibility and comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The wrist side extension incorporates rigid portions strategically positioned to resist impact forces, while flexible portions are integrated to maintain comfort and allow natural wrist movement. The rigid sections are placed where impact protection is most critical, while flexible sections are positioned to accommodate movement and conform to the wrist.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrist side extension may utilize composite construction combining rigid materials (such as hard plastic or composite polymers) with flexible materials (such as elastic straps or flexible polymers). This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of impact resistance and flexibility/comfort in different regions of the same component.
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 hand guard effectively reduces the risk of injury by dispersing impact forces and ensuring a secure fit, offering enhanced protection for the batter's wrist and hand during pitches.
Implementation Method 1
the wrist side extension is molded and hardened while in a mold
Implementation Method 2
providing enhanced protection by dispersing impact forces
Data Source
AI summary
A batter hand guard may include a hand back portion configured to cover at least metacarpal bones of ring, middle and index fingers of the hand on the back side of the hand, a wrist back extension extending from the hand back portion and configured to cover a back of an ulna and a back of a radius of a forearm, and a wrist side extension extending sideways from the wrist back extension. The wrist side extension is formed from a moldable and hardenable material configured to wrap about the ulna from the back side to the palm side of the forearm.