Skating Rink Perimeter Markings for Head-First Impact Warning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Skaters, especially in contact sports like hockey, face serious injuries from falling or sliding head-first into the walls of skating rinks, which can lead to paralysis due to the high impact causing compression fractures and spinal cord damage.

Innovation Solution

A visible orange mark is applied along the perimeter of the skating area, spaced inwardly from the wall by at least 12 inches, to prompt skaters traveling head-first to look up and impact the wall face-first, reducing the risk of serious injury by distributing the force of the impact through a backward bending motion of the neck.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If skaters travel head first toward the wall at high speed, then the skating action is more effective and powerful, but the risk of serious injury including paralysis increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveskating effectivenessVSAvoidinjury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The visible mark is placed in advance at a predetermined distance (at least 12 inches) from the wall to provide early warning to skaters before they reach the dangerous zone. This preliminary visual cue gives skaters time to react and change their posture from head-first to face-first impact position

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the harmful head-first impact into a beneficial face-first impact by using the visible mark to prompt skaters to look up. The forced upward head movement upon seeing the mark transforms the dangerous compression fracture mechanism into a safer impact where the neck bends backward, distributing force away from the spinal cord

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Speed

If the visible mark is placed closer to the wall, then the warning is more immediate, but skaters have insufficient time to react and look up

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewarning immediacyVSAvoidreaction time

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the distance parameter of the visible mark from the wall to achieve the minimum effective distance of at least 12 inches. This parameter change ensures that the mark is close enough to provide immediate warning but far enough to allow sufficient reaction time for skaters to look up and prevent head-first impact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of time

If the visible mark is placed farther from the wall, then skaters have more time to react, but the warning becomes less immediate and less effective

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereaction timeVSAvoidwarning immediacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The invention sets the optimal distance parameter at a minimum of 12 inches from the wall, balancing reaction time and warning immediacy. This specific parameter value ensures that skaters have adequate time to perceive the mark and react while maintaining the warning's effectiveness through proximity to the danger zone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9194621B2Skating rink markings and related methods

Publication Date: 2015.11.24 THOMAS E SMITH FOUNDATION INC

AI summary

This disclosure relates to a skating rink that includes a skating area, a wall at least partially surrounding the skating area, and a visible mark extending along a perimeter region of the skating area to indicate to a skater traveling head first toward the wall that the skater should look up and to related methods.