Vault Box Safety Collar With Cushioned Wings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pole vaulters often suffer catastrophic injuries when landing directly on the vault box due to the existing safety collars being ineffective in preventing such impacts without complicating the pole-planting process.
Innovation Solution
A vault box safety collar with cushioned wings that descend from the inner walls of the collar, reducing the size of the top opening while maintaining the pole-planting ease by not interfering with the pole's bending or planting process, made of dense foam covered with waterproof vinyl sheeting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing safety collars are used to protect vaulters from catastrophic injuries, then safety is improved, but the pole-planting process becomes complicated or interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The safety collar is segmented into multiple functional zones: a top surface with a recessed opening for pole planting, side walls for protection, and a bottom surface for additional safety. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function without interfering with others, resolving the contradiction between safety and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar has different local properties: the top surface provides a planting area, the opening allows pole insertion without interference, the side walls provide protective cushioning, and the bottom surface offers additional safety. Each local region is optimized for its specific function, allowing safety enhancement without complicating the overall pole-planting process.
2Ease of operation
If the safety collar design is simplified for ease of use, then pole-planting ease is improved, but the protective coverage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple protective functions into a single integrated collar structure that combines planting assistance, pole protection, and vaulter safety in one unified device. This merging achieves comprehensive protection without requiring multiple separate components that would complicate the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety collar performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides a planting surface, creates an unobstructed opening for pole insertion, offers side wall protection against impacts, and provides bottom surface cushioning. This multi-functionality achieves both ease of operation and comprehensive protective coverage.
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 safety collar significantly reduces the risk of catastrophic injuries by cushioning the vaulter's fall, with an estimated 90% reduction in contact with the vault box's hard surface during both parallel and transverse landings without hindering the pole-planting or bending process.
Implementation Method 1
made of dense foam covered with waterproof vinyl sheeting
Implementation Method 2
The safety collar significantly reduces the risk of catastrophic injuries by cushioning the vaulter's fall
Data Source
AI summary
A safety collar for a vault box reduces the risk of catastrophic injury if the pole vaulter lands directly onto the vault box, but does not make it more difficult for the pole vaulter to plant the pole into the vault box. The safety collar overlies the vault box and an area to the rear and the sides of the vault box. The collar has a front, a rear, a left side, a right side, and an opening extending from the front to the rear that overlies the recess of the vault box. The collar also has a left wing extending downwardly against the left wall of the vault box part way to the bottom surface and part way to the rear wall and a right wing extending downwardly against the right wall of the vault box part way to the bottom surface and part way to the rear wall.