Perforated Elastomer Grip Sheet for Impact Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermoplastic elastomer compositions used in sporting goods fail to provide sufficient vibration-controlling properties, leading to numbness of hands, feet, and body when a strong impact is applied.
Innovation Solution
A vibration-controlling sheet comprising a thermoplastic elastomer with numerous through-holes and an adhesive layer on one or both sides, featuring a block copolymer with specific molecular composition and hydrocarbon softener, which minimizes numbness by efficiently dissipating vibration energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a vibration control sheet is made with large openings to improve air permeability, then air flow increases, but structural integrity and vibration control capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet is segmented into a grid-like pattern of multiple small through-holes rather than large openings. This segmentation allows the sheet to maintain structural integrity while providing sufficient air permeability, as the distributed small holes collectively provide adequate airflow paths without compromising the overall sheet strength
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet employs a porous structure with numerous small through-holes distributed across its surface. This porous design enables the sheet to achieve both high air permeability and maintained structural integrity, as the porous architecture allows air flow while the surrounding material matrix preserves strength and vibration control capabilities
2Use of energy by moving object
If a vibration control sheet is made with large openings to improve air permeability, then air flow increases, but vibration control capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration control sheet uses segmented small through-holes instead of large openings. This segmentation maintains the sheet's ability to control vibrations while providing adequate air permeability, as the distributed pattern of small holes allows air flow without creating large vibration-prone areas
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet utilizes a porous structure with numerous small holes that maintains vibration control capability while enabling air flow. The porous architecture with controlled hole distribution allows the sheet to dampen vibrations effectively while achieving the required air permeability for the vehicle interior
3Use of energy by moving object
If a vibration control sheet has high air permeability with large openings, then air flow increases, but aesthetic appearance and design flexibility worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet applies local quality variation through its pattern of small through-holes, where the hole distribution and size are optimized to maintain aesthetic appearance while ensuring sufficient air permeability. The uniform distribution of small holes creates a visually acceptable surface while achieving the required airflow characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The porous structure with numerous small holes provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance compared to large openings, while maintaining high air permeability. The fine porous architecture creates a more visually acceptable surface that can be integrated into various interior designs without compromising air flow
4Reliability
If conventional vibration control sheets use heavy materials to improve vibration damping, then vibration control improves, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet uses a porous structure with numerous small through-holes that reduces material usage and weight while maintaining vibration control capability. The porous architecture provides vibration damping through the hole structure itself rather than relying solely on heavy materials, achieving weight reduction without sacrificing vibration control performance
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 sheet effectively reduces numbness and provides excellent vibration damping properties, even under strong impact conditions, making it suitable for sporting goods like bat and tennis racket grips.
Implementation Method 1
a sheet having numerous through-holes formed in the entire surface, the vibration control sheet having both a high air permeability and a high sound absorption capability
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a thermoplastic elastomer vibration-controlling sheet minimizing numbness of hands, feet, and a body even when a strong impact is applied as in the case where the sheet is bonded to and used on a grip of sporting goods such as a bat and a tennis racket serving as an object to be bonded. The present invention relates to a vibration-controlling sheet having an adhesive on one or both sides of a thermoplastic elastomer sheet that has numerous through-holes at a porosity of 5 to 80 % and that has a loss factor tanδ of 0.3 or more at 0 °C and 30 Hz.