Protective Garment With Removable Shock-Absorbing Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Protective clothing that provides aesthetic resemblance to non-protective clothing is needed to address the issue of caregivers being at risk from aggressive behaviors in individuals with medical or developmental conditions, while minimizing the visibility of protective gear to facilitate integration and reduce frustration.
Innovation Solution
Design of forearm protectors and protective garments with integrated or removable panels made of shock-absorbing and structural materials, allowing for customizable protection and a slim profile to maintain a normal appearance, which can be worn alone or with a protective system to cover vulnerable areas without visible bulk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If protective clothing is made with thick padding and visible protective gear, then protection against impacts and abrasions is improved, but aesthetic appearance and integration into normal clothing is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin, flexible protective panels that can be integrated into clothing without adding significant bulk or altering the external shape. These panels are designed to be inconspicuous while providing impact and abrasion resistance, resolving the contradiction between protection strength and aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective clothing uses composite material structures combining protective layers with fabric layers. The protective panels are integrated within the garment structure, allowing thin profiles that maintain both protection capabilities and normal clothing appearance, eliminating the need for visible thick padding.
2Adaptability or versatility
If protective panels are made removable and customizable, then adaptability to different protection needs is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The protective garment is divided into separate modular components including removable protective panels that can be independently inserted or removed. This segmentation allows customization of protection coverage while using simple integration methods like pockets or elastic retention, minimizing manufacturing complexity despite the modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment design incorporates universal features such as standard pocket configurations and elastic retention systems that work across different panel types and sizes. This multi-functionality approach allows the same basic garment structure to accommodate various protection needs without requiring complex customization mechanisms.
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 solution effectively protects against impacts and abrasions while preserving a non-specialized appearance, enhancing integration and reducing frustration in individuals with special needs, and allowing for customizable protection based on user needs.
Implementation Method 1
panels made of shock-absorbing and structural materials
Implementation Method 2
abrasion-resistant padding in order to protect against surface wounds, such as cuts, gashes or punctures
Data Source
AI summary
Articles of clothing suitable for protecting against certain injury risks, such as impacts and abrasions, while simultaneously preserving an outward appearance of non-protective clothing, are provided. Such articles may include a forearm protector that is worn directly on the user's arm and a customizable, long-sleeved protective garment that may be worn by itself or in combination. Such forearm protectors and protective garments each incorporate one or more composite panels that cover parts of the body that may be susceptible to injury. The protective garment may include one or more removable panels to provide customizable protection to different parts of the user's torso and upper body, while the forearm protector, if worn, will protect parts of the user's arms. Depending on the type and degree of coverage sought, the protective articles may be worn either by themselves or as a cooperative pair within a combined protective system.