Segmented Hockey Pant Design for Modular Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional hockey pants offer limited versatility and increased expense due to their single-piece construction, with wear and tear primarily affecting the outer shell, necessitating frequent replacements.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece design comprising a removable outer shell and an inner pant with compression material for enhanced protection and mobility, featuring adjustable VELCRO tabs for sock attachment and strategically placed pads for optimal protection, allowing the outer shell to be easily replaced and the inner pant to provide snug, compressive fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional single-piece hockey pants are used, then complete coverage and protection are provided, but expense increases and versatility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The hockey pants are divided into two separate components: an inner pant that provides compression and pad support, and an outer shell that provides protection and displays team colors. This segmentation allows players to mix and match outer shells with different team colors while maintaining a single inner pant with all necessary protective pads, thereby increasing versatility without compromising protection.
2Reliability
If traditional single-piece hockey pants are used, then complete coverage is provided, but replacement cost increases due to wear and tear on the outer shell
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the outer shell from the inner pant containing all protective pads, the design allows players to replace only the worn outer shell instead of the entire pant assembly. The inner pant with embedded pads remains in use, significantly reducing replacement costs while maintaining complete protective coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer shell is designed as a replaceable component that can be discarded when worn or when team colors need to change, while the inner pant with valuable protective pads is recovered and reused. This approach recovers the expensive pad components and eliminates the need to replace them with each outer shell change.
3Ease of operation
If compression material is used in the inner pant, then movement restriction is minimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner pant utilizes compression material with specific elastic properties that provide snug fit and support while allowing necessary range of motion. The compression level and material properties are optimized to balance movement freedom with support, preventing excessive device complexity while achieving the desired performance.
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 solution enhances player protection and performance by allowing for customizable outer shells and reducing movement restrictions while minimizing replacement costs through modular design.
Implementation Method 1
the inner pant being at least partially made of compression material for applying compression to the player's body
Implementation Method 2
each of the left and right leg portions has a tab mounted adjacent its bottom end, the tap having affixing means for allowing attachment of a hockey sock to the inner pant
Data Source
AI summary
A pant for a hockey player. The pant comprises an inner pant and an outer shell releasably connected to a waist portion of the inner pant and wherein the inner pant has several protective pads, a pocket for receiving a cup for protecting the genital area of the player and respective left and right VELCRO tabs for affixing hockey socks to the inner pant.