Removable Elbow Guard Pad With Elastic Pocket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional elbow guards are cumbersome and difficult to remove quickly, making them inconvenient for athletes who need to switch between protected and unprotected modes during a game.
Innovation Solution
A sleeve with a pocket and a pad element that can be easily inserted and secured using an adjustable opening, allowing for quick attachment and removal, with the pad element having a first portion that fits inside the pocket and an intermediate portion that engages with the sleeve to lock it in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pad element is permanently integrated into a garment, then the protection is secure and reliable, but the device becomes cumbersome and difficult to remove quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The elbow guard is divided into separate components: a sleeve with pocket and a removable pad element. The pad element can be detached from the sleeve, allowing the player to wear only the lightweight sleeve during fielding and running, while attaching the protective pad element when batting. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling both secure protection (when assembled) and quick removal (by detaching the pad element).
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system uses dynamic elements including elastic straps that can be quickly adjusted and hook-and-loop fasteners that enable rapid attachment and detachment. The elastic straps provide continuous adjustable tension while the hook-and-loop system allows for quick engagement and disengagement, resolving the contradiction between secure fastening and quick removal.
2Reliability
If conventional straps are used to secure the elbow guard, then the pad can be firmly attached, but the straps become uncomfortable for the player
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the fastening system have different properties optimized for their specific functions. The elastic straps provide stretch and comfort against the skin, while the hook-and-loop fasteners provide secure attachment at specific locations. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by making each component optimized for its specific role rather than requiring a single strap to provide both comfort and secure attachment.
3Reliability
If the pad element width is greater than the opening width, then the pad can be securely retained in the pocket, but the pad cannot be easily inserted into the pocket
Solution Approach 1:
The opening in the pocket is made elastic and dynamic, allowing it to stretch temporarily to accommodate the wider pad element during insertion, then return to its smaller size to retain the pad securely. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between retention security (small opening) and insertion ease (large opening).
Data Source
AI summary
A guard arrangement includes a sleeve with a pocket defining an adjustable opening that has a nominal width, and a pad element having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to be removably positioned inside the pocket, and the first portion has a width at a widest part of the first portion that is greater than the nominal width of the opening.