Quick Release Mouth Guard Strap for Collision Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mouth guards attached to football helmets pose a risk of tooth injury when the helmet is knocked off during collisions, as the strap and mouth guard can be dislodged, leading to potential tooth damage or loss.
Innovation Solution
A mouth guard with a strap featuring quick release mating members at both ends, allowing for disengagement from the helmet or mouth guard in case of a collision, ensuring the mouth guard remains in the mouth and preventing injury.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the mouth guard is attached to the helmet with a strap, then the mouth guard does not need to be carried in the hand between plays, but the mouth guard and strap can be dislodged during collisions causing tooth injury
Solution Approach 1:
The quick release mechanism transforms the static strap attachment into a dynamic system that can automatically adapt to collision forces. When impact exceeds a threshold, the ratchet mechanism allows the strap to release, preventing the mouth guard from being dislodged and causing tooth injury.
Solution Approach 2:
The ratchet mechanism acts as an intermediary between the strap and the mouth guard, controlling the direction of force transmission. It allows the strap to hold the mouth guard in place during normal use but releases it when collision forces exceed safe thresholds, mediating between retention and safety.
2Ease of operation
If the mouth guard is held in the hand between plays, then it can be easily accessed, but germs can contaminate the mouth guard causing infection
Solution Approach 1:
The mouth guard is extracted from the hand-held state and integrated with the helmet through the strap system. This removes the contamination risk associated with hand contact while maintaining easy access through the quick release mechanism that allows rapid attachment and detachment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the strap is firmly attached to the helmet, then the mouth guard remains secure, but the mouth guard travels with the helmet during collisions causing severe tooth damage
Solution Approach 1:
The ratchet mechanism creates a dynamic attachment system that is stable during normal use but can release under collision forces. The teeth of the ratchet engage during normal wear to maintain stability, but allow unidirectional release when impact forces exceed the retention threshold, preventing the mouth guard from traveling with the helmet.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the retention parameter dynamically - maintaining high retention during normal use through ratchet engagement, but allowing release when collision forces exceed a threshold. This parameter change prevents the mouth guard from being dislodged and causing tooth damage while maintaining stability during play.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a mouth guard which is worn to protect a person's teeth when the person is engaged in a sports activity such as football. A strap which has a quick release mating member at each end interconnects the mouth guard with a bar on a helmet worn by the person. One quick release mating member is removably connected to a bar on the helmet and the other quick release mating member is removably connected to a receiving member in the mouth guard. In the event of a collision between participants in the sport which results in the helmet flying off the person's head, one or both of the quick release members will disengage the strap from either the bar on the helmet, the mouth guard, or both to thereby avoid damage to the person's teeth.