Rotational Impact Protection Helmet with Shearing Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing helmets often provide inadequate protection against rotational impacts, which can cause severe head injuries such as concussions and subdural hemorrhage, while also being insufficient for various types of impacts, including high- and low-energy impacts.
Innovation Solution
The helmet design incorporates an outer shell and inner padding with a plurality of shock absorbers that are deformable in response to impacts, featuring an interconnector to link the shock absorbers and a shearing layer to allow relative movement between the outer and inner parts of the shock absorbers, thereby absorbing rotational energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rigid helmet structure is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but rotational impact protection is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The helmet is divided into multiple functional layers: outer shell, deformable shock absorbers, shearing layer, and inner padding. Each layer performs a specific function in absorbing rotational energy, with the shock absorbers segmented into outer and inner parts that can move relative to each other during impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The helmet incorporates dynamic elements including deformable shock absorbers that change shape under impact, a shearing layer that allows relative movement between layers, and an interconnector that enables controlled deformation. These dynamic features allow the helmet to adapt to rotational impacts while maintaining structural integrity.
2Reliability
If shock absorbers are made deformable to absorb rotational energy, then rotational impact protection is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shock absorbers are designed with specific material properties and geometric parameters that enable controlled deformability. The outer and inner parts of the shock absorbers have different stiffness characteristics, allowing them to deform in a controlled manner during impact while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The helmet uses composite construction combining rigid outer shell material with deformable shock absorber material and shearing layer material. This composite approach allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity and manufacturability.
3Reliability
If a shearing layer is added to allow relative movement between shock absorber parts, then rotational impact protection is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shearing layer acts as an intermediary element between the outer and inner parts of the shock absorbers, allowing controlled relative movement during rotational impacts. This intermediate layer facilitates energy dissipation while maintaining the structural connection between components through the interconnector.
Solution Approach 2:
The helmet structure employs a nested arrangement where the shearing layer is positioned between the outer shell and inner padding, with shock absorbers nested within the padding structure. This nested configuration allows multiple functional layers to be integrated compactly without excessive overall complexity.
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
This design effectively reduces the transmission of rotational energy to the wearer's head, thereby minimizing angular acceleration and enhancing overall impact protection against both linear and rotational impacts.
Implementation Method 1
Each shock absorber is deformable in response to a rotational impact on the helmet such that an outer part of the shock absorber moves relative to an inner part of the shock absorber in a direction tangential to an angular movement of the outer shell due to the rotational impact
Implementation Method 2
The inner padding comprises a plurality of shock absorbers and an interconnector interconnecting the shock absorbers... effectively reduces the transmission of rotational energy to the wearer's head
Implementation Method 3
a shearing layer between the outer part of the shock absorber and the inner part of the shock absorber to allow the outer part of the shock absorber and the inner part of the shock absorber to shear relative to one another
Data Source
AI summary
A helmet for protecting a head of a wearer, such as a hockey, lacrosse, football or other sports player. The helmet includes an outer shell and padding disposed between the outer shell and the wearer's head. The padding includes an inner part configured to face the wearer's head and an outer part disposed between the outer shell and the inner part. The inner part of the padding includes rotational impact protection pads that are spaced from one another and arranged so that they are oriented towards different areas of the wearer's head. Each rotational impact protection pad is separately connected to the outer part of the padding and is movable relative thereto by sliding against the outer part of the padding in response to a rotational impact on the helmet, wherein given ones of the rotational impact protection pads have different shapes and/or different sizes from one another.