Ski Helmet Impact Absorption via Segmented Caps and Frustoconical Reliefs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional protective helmets for skiing struggle to effectively absorb collision forces, particularly when the force has a tangential component, compromising both comfort and protective capacity.
Innovation Solution
A protective helmet design featuring an external and internal cap-like structure with interposed energy-absorbing devices, including a web-like fabric and resiliently flexible members with frustoconical reliefs, allowing for adaptive fitting and enhanced impact absorption in various directional conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional protective helmet structures are used with adequate rigidity of the cap, then the helmet can counteract and distribute collision stresses, but the capacity to absorb tangential impact forces is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The internal cap-like structure is divided into multiple independent portions that are mutually interconnected with limited relative mobility. This segmentation allows each portion to independently deform and absorb energy during tangential impacts, while collectively providing structural support. The portions can move relative to each other during impact, enhancing energy absorption without compromising overall rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal cap portions are designed with limited relative mobility between contiguous portions, creating a dynamic structure that can adapt during impact. This dynamic capability allows the helmet to respond differently to perpendicular versus tangential forces, maximizing energy absorption for tangential impacts while maintaining structural integrity for perpendicular impacts.
2Reliability
If layers of material are interposed between external and internal cap structures to absorb impact energy, then energy absorption capacity improves, but the helmet thickness and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
A web-like fabric is used as an intermediary structure between the external and internal cap structures. This thin, flexible film provides a platform for mounting resilient members while maintaining minimal thickness. The fabric allows the resilient members to deform and absorb energy without requiring thick layers of traditional impact-absorbing materials.
Solution Approach 2:
Resiliently flexible members with frustoconical reliefs are used instead of traditional layered materials. The frustoconical geometry provides high energy absorption capacity in a compact form factor. The members can be compressed significantly during impact, providing high energy absorption per unit volume, thus reducing overall helmet volume while maintaining protection.
3Reliability
If the helmet structure is made more deformable to maximize collision energy absorption, then energy absorption capacity improves, but the rigidity required to counteract collision stresses decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented internal cap structure allows different regions to have different deformation characteristics. Contiguous portions are interconnected with limited relative mobility, creating a hierarchy of rigidity and deformability. The overall structure maintains adequate rigidity to counteract stresses while individual portions can deform to absorb energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The helmet combines multiple materials and structures with different mechanical properties: the rigid external cap, the flexible web-like fabric, and the resiliently flexible members with frustoconical reliefs. This composite construction integrates both rigidity and deformability into a single structure, allowing the helmet to simultaneously counteract collision stresses and absorb impact energy.
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 helmet achieves improved adaptability and impact force absorption, reducing both translational and rotational acceleration, while maintaining a low profile and ensuring ventilation, without increasing the helmet's thickness or external volume.
Implementation Method 1
resiliently flexible members (12), each of which includes a plate-like portion (12a) having a transverse thickness (13) which is defined between a pair of opposing surfaces (13a, 13b), and a plurality of reliefs (14) which project upwards in the same direction from the surface (13b) of the portion (12a), in the direction away from the portion (12a)
Implementation Method 2
device for absorbing energy as a result of forces of impacts on the helmet
Implementation Method 3
one or more internal padding elements which are designated 7 and which are conventional per se and intended to be applied to the internal surface of the internal cap-like structure 3
Data Source
AI summary
There is described a protective helmet for sporting use, in particular for use while skiing, comprising an external cap-like structure (2) of a resiliently flexible material, an internal cap-like structure (3) which is received in the external cap-like structure (2) and which comprises a plurality of cap portions (5a, 5b) of expanded material which are structurally independent of each other and which are mutually interconnected with limited relative mobility between contiguous portions, the internal cap-like structure (3) delimiting a cavity (4) which is open towards the outer side and which is capable of receiving the head of the user, and at least one device (6) for absorbing energy as a result of forces of impacts on the helmet, which device is interposed between the internal cap-like structure (3) and external cap-like structure (2). The device comprises at least one flexible member (12) which includes a plate-like portion (12a) having a transverse thickness (13) which is defined between a pair of opposing surfaces (13a, 13b) and a plurality of reliefs (14) which project in the same direction from one of the surfaces (13a, 13b), the reliefs (14) extending with a tapering formation in the direction of the free end (14a) thereof, in the direction away from the portion (12a), and the at least one member (12) being fixedly joined to the external cap-like structure (12) in the region of the respective free ends (14a) of the reliefs (14) and the internal cap-like structure (3) in the region of the surface (13a) of the opposite portion (12a) to the portion which has the reliefs.