Protective Apparatus Lattice Shell and Ventilated Foam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional protective apparatuses, such as shin guards, face challenges in effectively distributing and dissipating impact forces across a larger area while maintaining resistance to punctures and impalements, with existing designs often lacking optimal material distribution and ventilation.
Innovation Solution
A protective apparatus comprising an impact shell with a lattice structure and an impact attenuating component featuring channels on its posterior side, which includes a series of grooves or channels to enhance force distribution and ventilation, coupled with a resilient material like styrene-butadiene copolymer for improved impact resistance and visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional protective apparatuses use solid foam padding without channels, then impact force distribution is limited, but ventilation is insufficient and weight is higher
Solution Approach 1:
The impact attenuating component incorporates a series of channels extending through the foam padding material, creating a porous structure that allows air flow for ventilation while maintaining impact attenuation capabilities. The channels provide pathways for air circulation without significantly compromising the force distribution function.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam padding is segmented by dividing it with channels into multiple sections. This segmentation creates both ventilation pathways and structural zones that can independently manage impact forces, improving overall force distribution while enabling thermal management through air flow.
2Strength
If more material is used to improve impact resistance, then protection performance increases, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective apparatus uses an impact shell with a lattice structure that provides varying material density and strength in different locations. The lattice pattern concentrates material where impact forces are most likely to occur while reducing material in areas with lower impact risk, optimizing protection performance while minimizing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus combines multiple materials with different properties: a rigid impact shell material for external protection, foam padding for impact attenuation, and potentially different foam densities in different zones. This composite approach allows each material to contribute its optimal properties, achieving high impact resistance with reduced overall weight.
3Reliability
If the impact shell uses a rigid puncture-resistant material, then resistance to punctures and impalements improves, but impact force distribution capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The impact shell is designed with a lattice structure that provides puncture resistance while maintaining flexibility. The lattice pattern allows the shell to deform and conform to impact forces rather than rigidly resisting them, enabling effective force distribution to the foam padding while maintaining puncture protection through the rigid lattice framework.
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 described design effectively distributes impact forces across a larger area, provides enhanced resistance to punctures and impalements, and improves ventilation, resulting in improved comfort and protection by aligning channels with the lattice ribs to concentrate force absorption and reduce material weight.
Implementation Method 1
A protective apparatus is traditionally used to limit an impact force experienced by a person or an object. A protective apparatus dissipates and attenuates an impact force
Implementation Method 2
an impact attenuating structure, such as foam padding
Implementation Method 3
the impact attenuation component includes a series of channels or grooves on a posterior side
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present invention relate to a protective apparatus that includes an impact shell and an impact attenuating component, which is less rigid than the impact shell. The impact attenuation component may include a series of channels or grooves on a posterior side, facing away from the impact shell.