Tensioned Protective Helmet Liner for Curved Fit and Ventilation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Insertable liners for protective helmets are complex to manufacture and fit, especially when replicating the concavely curved inside and ventilation channels, and require complicated assembly and detachment for cleaning or replacement.
Innovation Solution
A liner with at least two anchoring points that can be tensioned into a predetermined curved contour by anchoring, allowing it to replicate the helmet's shape without needing a matching original shape, and featuring sections that engage with ventilation channels to maintain airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the liner is manufactured with a shape corresponding to the concavely curved inside of the protective helmet, then the liner fits the helmet well, but the manufacture becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The liner is manufactured in a simplified flat or pre-formed state, and the contour adaptation is performed in advance during installation by tensioning and anchoring the liner to the helmet interior. This preliminary action transfers the complex shaping operation from manufacturing to installation, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and manufacturing complexity.
2Reliability
If the liner replicates the ventilation channels of the protective helmet, then the airflow is maintained, but the manufacture and fitting become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation channel replication is achieved by pre-forming bridge sections in the liner that are designed to engage with the helmet's ventilation channels during installation. The complex geometric adaptation is performed in advance in the liner design, allowing the liner to automatically align with and replicate the ventilation channels when tensioned and anchored, thus maintaining airflow without complicating the manufacturing process.
3Ease of operation
If the liner is designed for easy insertion and removal, then the replacement and cleaning are simplified, but the anchoring and contour assumption become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring system is segmented into discrete anchoring points distributed on the liner, each capable of independent engagement with corresponding features on the helmet interior. This segmentation allows the liner to be anchored at multiple locations to achieve the curved contour, while enabling easy insertion and removal by simply disengaging these modular anchoring points, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
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
Enables simple manufacture and easy insertion, maintains ventilation, and allows for easy replacement while providing effective protection and comfort by absorbing kinetic energy and preventing direct force transmission to the head.
Implementation Method 1
protective helmets usually have a helmet body which may absorb kinetic energy acting on the protective helmet by inelastic and/or elastic deformation and thereby prevent direct transmission of the forces to the head of the wearer
Implementation Method 2
protective helmets usually have a helmet body which may absorb kinetic energy acting on the protective helmet by inelastic and/or elastic deformation
Implementation Method 3
Such liners, for example, may allow moisture to be transported from the wearer's head to the outside in order to enable improved cooling
Data Source
AI summary
A liner for insertion into a concavely curved inside of an associated protective helmet, in particular a bicycle helmet, which extends along a longitudinal direction from a front side to a rear side, comprises at least two anchoring points for anchoring the liner to the protective helmet. The liner is also configured to be put under a shear stress along the inside of the protective helmet by the anchoring and to thereby assume a predetermined curved contour.