Personal Mobility Device Side Guards for Impact Absorption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Personal mobility devices (PMDs) lack protection for passengers and are more vulnerable to impact or collision compared to vehicles, with limited research on collision mitigation.
Innovation Solution
The PMD is equipped with guards such as side guards, axle guards, and wheel guards made of impact-absorbing materials, featuring rotatable and cushioned connections to enhance protection and mitigate impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If PMD structure is kept simple for ease of manufacture and operation, then manufacturing cost and ease of use are improved, but vulnerability to impact and collision increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by equipping the PMD with guards made of impact-absorbing materials positioned at vulnerable areas (front, rear, and sides). These guards are designed to absorb impact forces before they reach the main body structure, thereby protecting the device from damage during collisions or falls while maintaining the overall simple structure of the PMD.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If guards are added to protect passengers and mitigate impact, then protection capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the protection system into multiple separate guards positioned at different locations (front guard, rear guard, and side guards). Each guard is an independent component that can be manufactured and installed separately, allowing the protection system to be enhanced without fundamentally redesigning the entire device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guards serve multiple functions: they protect passengers from impact, protect the PMD structure from damage, and can potentially serve as mounting points for other components. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing multiple benefits from a single structural addition.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If impact-absorbing materials are used for guards, then protection effectiveness is improved, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using impact-absorbing materials specifically in the guard components where protection is needed, rather than making the entire PMD structure heavy. The guards are strategically positioned at areas most susceptible to impact (front, rear, sides), providing localized protection without significantly increasing the overall weight of the moving device.
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 guards effectively protect passengers and pedestrians from collisions, improve PMD durability, and enhance driving performance by absorbing and distributing impact forces.
Implementation Method 1
a guard configured to mitigate an impact on the PMD when the PMD collides with an external object or falls
Implementation Method 2
a fixation unit that connects one end of the steering axle to the footboard unit
Data Source
AI summary
A personal mobility device (PMD) has a footboard unit including a footboard, a front wheel disposed on the footboard, and a rear wheel disposed behind the front wheel on the footboard. The PMD also has a steering unit including a steering axle, a fixation unit that connects one end of the steering axle to the footboard unit, and a grip disposed on the other end of the steering axle. The PMD also has a side guard disposed on each side of the footboard unit and extending along an axial direction of the footboard.