Segmented Athletic Shoulder Pad Shell for Joint Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rigid protective caps in athletic garments, such as shoulder pads, restrict shoulder movement due to their design, impeding the freedom of movement at joints like the acromioclavicular joint.
Innovation Solution
A protective cap design featuring a shell with interconnected first and second shell members and a liner, where the link or braiding allows these shell members to move relative to each other, facilitating movement while maintaining protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid shell is used in the protective cap, then protection of the player's shoulder is improved, but freedom of movement of the player's shoulder is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The shell is divided into multiple rigid segments (first shell member and second shell member) that can move independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows the protective cap to maintain rigidity for protection while enabling movement at the joints, resolving the contradiction between protection and freedom of movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cap transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic structure where shell members can move relative to each other through links and breadings. This dynamic design allows the shell to adapt its configuration during movement, providing both protection and freedom of movement.
2Strength
If a rigid shell is used in the protective cap, then protection of the player's shoulder is improved, but movement at the acromioclavicular joint region is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The shell is segmented into multiple rigid segments that can move independently. This allows the protective cap to maintain protection at the acromioclavicular joint region while enabling movement through the segmented design, resolving the contradiction between protection and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the protective cap have different properties: the shell members provide rigid protection at impact zones, while the links and breadings provide flexibility at joint regions. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between protection and movement adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A protective athletic garment comprising a protective cap for protecting a body part of the user. The protective cap comprises a shell for overlying the user's body part. The shell comprises a first shell member and a second shell member. The protective cap comprises a liner mounted under the shell for being disposed between the shell and the user's body part. The protective cap also comprises a link interconnecting the first shell member and the second shell member to hold the first shell member and the second shell member together. The link extends along at least part of a periphery of the first shell member and at least part of a periphery of the second shell member such that the first shell member and the second shell member are movable relative to one another in response to movement of the user's body part.