2D Ski Jumping Glove Inversion for Aerodynamic Lift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ski jumping gloves with anatomical cuts restrict the natural spreading of fingers and thumb, leading to air turbulence and reduced aerodynamic performance, limiting jumping distances.
Innovation Solution
A 2-dimensional ski jumping glove design where the back and palm are cut congruently, with the thumb flared laterally and side layers twisted 180°, allowing the glove to be pre-curved and eliminating seams between the thumb and backhand, enhancing surface area and reducing air resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If conventional anatomical glove cuts are used with thumb curved downwards towards the palm, then the glove provides comfortable anatomical fit, but the thumb and fingers cannot spread laterally to maximize wing area and aerodynamic performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional anatomical glove cut by making the thumb flared laterally contrary to human hand anatomy, and curves the side layers 180 degrees opposite to natural hand configuration. This inversion allows the thumb and fingers to spread laterally perpendicular to the long axis of the hand, maximizing wing area for aerodynamic lift during ski jumping flight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from the conventional three-dimensional anatomical glove shape to a two-dimensional flat configuration where the thumb lies in the same plane as the other fingers. This dimensional change enables the hand to form a flat wing surface perpendicular to the long axis, optimizing aerodynamic performance by eliminating the natural curvature that would create folds and turbulence.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the back of the glove is cut shorter and the palm longer to reduce folds, then air turbulence is reduced, but the glove creates resistance against the natural spreading of fingers backwards towards the back of the hand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by making the back of the glove at least as long as the palm, and curving the side layers in the opposite direction (180 degrees). This inversion eliminates the need to compress fingers against resistance, as the glove configuration naturally accommodates the spread hand position without creating folds or turbulence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-configures the glove with a two-dimensional flat shape and laterally flared thumb before wearing, so that the aerodynamic wing surface is already optimized. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for the jumper to fight against glove resistance during the jump, as the glove is already in the optimal aerodynamic position.
3Ease of operation
If conventional anatomical glove cuts are used, then the glove follows natural hand shape, but folds and air turbulence occur during ski jumping flight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional anatomical glove design by making the thumb flared laterally contrary to natural hand anatomy and curving the side layers 180 degrees opposite to normal configuration. This inversion creates a two-dimensional flat structure that eliminates folds and turbulence while maintaining comfort through alternative design approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional anatomical glove shape to a two-dimensional flat configuration. This dimensional change eliminates the natural hand curvature that causes folds during flight, creating a smooth aerodynamic surface that reduces air turbulence while the stretchable material maintains comfort and fit.
4Area of moving object
If the glove is designed to maximize surface area for aerodynamic lift, then jumping distance is improved, but the glove structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the glove into separate cut pieces (palm and back) that are sewn together with the side layers, allowing the thumb to be positioned in the same plane as the other fingers. This segmentation enables the two-dimensional flat configuration that maximizes surface area while maintaining a relatively simple construction process using conventional glove-making techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves maximum surface area by transitioning to a two-dimensional flat configuration where the thumb lies in the same plane as the other fingers, perpendicular to the long axis of the hand. This dimensional change maximizes the wing surface area for aerodynamic lift without requiring complex three-dimensional structuring, as the flat design naturally provides the optimal surface area.
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 design achieves up to 40% more buoyancy and lift, allowing for higher jumping distances with reduced effort and turbulence, as demonstrated by wind tunnel measurements.
Implementation Method 1
The ski jumper spreads his fingers in the air and tries to make his hand very wide in order to achieve as much 'wing area' and thus lift as possible
Implementation Method 2
The design achieves up to 40% more buoyancy and lift, allowing for higher jumping distances with reduced effort and turbulence
Implementation Method 3
eliminating seams between the thumb and backhand, enhancing surface area and reducing air resistance
Implementation Method 4
reduced effort and turbulence, as demonstrated by wind tunnel measurements
Data Source
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AI summary
A ski jumping glove (10) comprising a glove body with a palm and a glove back (12), which are first cut into shape and then sewn together along their outer contour lines with the exception of an insertion area for the hand into the glove, and which are firmly connected to each other via side gussets (13), is characterized in that the glove back is the same length as the palm and the ski jumping glove is cut two-dimensionally, i.e. contrary to the anatomy of the human hand with a laterally splayed thumb, such that the thumb lies in the same plane as the attachments for the other fingers, so that the thumb is splayed laterally from the outset, that the glove back and the palm are cut congruently, and that either the side gussets are geometrically shaped,that before wearing the ski jumping glove, the palm runs parallel to the back of the glove, or that the side gussets are rotated 180° compared to an anatomically shaped glove, so that the ski jumping glove is already curved from the palm to the back of the glove before being worn. This achieves a significant improvement in the aerodynamic properties of the ski jumper compared to the use of conventional ski jumping gloves, in particular resulting in greater jump distances.