Slidable Energy Absorbing Layer for Articulation Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective garments for motorcyclists and cyclists are ineffective in absorbing the tangential component of oblique impacts, leading to increased risk of injuries at articulations such as shoulders and elbows, especially in motocross and mountain biking, and are not designed to maintain user mobility or be reusable.
Innovation Solution
A protective garment with a flexible base layer and integrated energy-absorbing devices, including a slidable layer connected by fixation members, which allows for movement relative to the base layer during tangential impacts, creating a sliding surface to dissipate energy and reduce injury risk, while maintaining user mobility and being reusable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid protectors are used to absorb normal impact components, then protection against perpendicular impacts is improved, but protection against tangential components of oblique impacts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective garment is divided into multiple functional layers: a rigid protector layer for normal impact absorption and a flexible membrane layer for tangential impact management. This segmentation allows each layer to specialize in handling specific impact components, resolving the contradiction between normal and tangential protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment combines rigid materials (for normal impact absorption) with flexible materials (for tangential impact accommodation) in a composite structure. This composite approach enables simultaneous protection against both normal and tangential impact components that cannot be achieved with a single material type.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If flexible membranes are added to absorb tangential forces, then protection against oblique impacts is improved, but freedom of movement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane is strategically positioned only in areas where tangential impact protection is needed, such as articulation zones (shoulders, elbows, knees), while maintaining flexibility in other areas to preserve overall freedom of movement. This localized application resolves the contradiction between protection and mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane layer is designed to be dynamically responsive, allowing it to deform and move with the wearer's body during normal activity while providing protection during impacts. This dynamic behavior enables the garment to adapt to both protective and mobility requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If protective armour is designed to be reusable, then cost-effectiveness is improved, but ability to absorb multiple impacts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective garment is designed to be reusable with the understanding that the rigid protector may need replacement after absorbing significant impact energy, while the flexible membrane and underlying garment layers can be recovered and reused. This approach balances reusability with maintaining reliable impact absorption capacity.
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 garment effectively absorbs and dissipates the tangential component of oblique impacts, reducing injury risk at articulations without hindering user movement and can withstand multiple impacts without needing replacement.
Implementation Method 1
the slidable layer (18) is made of a low friction material... the received force causes at least part of the outer layer receiving the force to move relative to the base layer
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a protective garment (10) for articulations of the human body, suitable for being used in particular by motorcyclists or cyclists. The protective garment (10) comprises: —a flexible base layer (12) which in use is designed to stay close to the body (14) of the user; —at least one energy absorbing device (16) positioned at a portion of the flexible base layer (12) which in use is designed to be superimposed to an articulation of the body (14) of the user. The at least one energy absorbing device (16) is connected to the flexible base layer (12) so as to be movable with respect to the flexible base layer (12) if a tangential impact (F) acts on the energy absorbing device (16). According to the invention, the energy absorbing device (16) comprises a slidable layer (18) connected to the flexible base layer (12) by means of at least one fixation member (20).