Padded Lining Heat-Sealing for Crash Helmets

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The current handmade manufacturing process for crash helmet linings is labor-intensive, leading to long production times, imperfections, high costs, and poor reproducibility, with difficulties in assembling and tensioning multiple small parts during sewing, and requires frequent material treatments and size adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A method involving high-frequency heat-sealing of a fabric with a sheet of plastic material within a mold, using pre-contoured padding elements and eliminating the need for sewing, allowing for efficient coupling and shaping of the lining.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If handmade sewing and assembly methods are used for padded lining, then flexibility and customization are improved, but manufacturing time and production costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecustomizationVSAvoidmanufacturing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical sewing system with a heat-sealing system. The fabric and plastic sheet are joined through thermal bonding rather than needle and thread, eliminating the need for manual sewing operations while maintaining secure attachment of padding elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the joining parameter from mechanical (sewing) to thermal (heat-sealing). By controlling temperature and pressure parameters during the heat-sealing process, the method achieves reliable bonding while dramatically reducing manufacturing time and enabling automated production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple small parts are assembled by hand, then precision in joining and tensioning fabrics is improved, but manufacturing complexity and labor costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvejoining precisionVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate fabric pieces and padding elements into a single integrated structure through heat-sealing. The fabric is continuously attached to the plastic sheet, eliminating the need for separate assembly of multiple small parts and reducing overall structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the complex mechanical sewing process with a simpler thermal bonding process. The heat-sealing method automatically joins fabrics and padding elements without requiring manual tensioning, needle insertion, or thread management, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Loss of substance

If traditional cutting and assembly methods are used, then material utilization is improved, but waste material and production time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial wasteVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-attaching padding elements to the plastic sheet before final assembly. This allows for optimized material layout and reduced cutting waste, as materials can be precisely positioned and secured in advance rather than during final assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 method significantly reduces manufacturing time and costs, enhances reproducibility and precision, minimizes waste, and enables production of padded linings with consistent quality across different sizes without the use of solvents or adhesives, resulting in a comfortable and high-performance product.

Implementation Method 1

performing a high-frequency heat-sealing, in said mold, of said fabric with said sheet of plastic material at said unpadded regions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHigh-frequency heat-sealing: Dielectric Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2835069B1Method for providing a padded lining, particularly for crash helmets, and padded lining provided with the method
Publication Date: 2016.06.22 TECA25
  • EP2835069B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2835069B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A method for providing a padded lining (10), particularly for crash helmets (21), and a padded lining (10) obtained by means of the method. The method comprises the high-frequency heat-sealing, in a mold (13), of a sheet of plastic material (11) with fabric (17) at unpadded regions (16) interleaved with padded regions (20), wherein padding elements (14) are interposed between the sheet of plastic (11) and the fabric (17).