Skydiving Helmet Visor Mounting System Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skydiving helmets lack an effective visor mounting system that can maintain the visor lowered in high winds and pressure drops while allowing easy user manipulation throughout the helmet's useful life.
Innovation Solution
A visor mounting system featuring a locking and guiding cavity with a locking slot and arcuate guiding section, a locking element that pivots between extended and retracted configurations, and a visor retaining pin to securely connect the visor to the helmet shell, allowing translation and rotation for easy adjustment between lowered and raised positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a visor mounting system is implemented to prevent inadvertent visor raising, then safety and visor stability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into distinct functional components: a locking element for securing the visor in position, a guiding cavity with locking slot for controlled movement, and a retaining pin for pivot connection. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking and guiding cavity combines two functions (locking and guiding) into a single integrated structure. The locking slot and arcuate guiding section are formed as one piece, allowing the locking element to both secure the visor and guide its movement path, thereby reducing the number of separate components needed.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to maintain visor position in high winds, then visor stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is designed to be dynamically controllable, transitioning between locked and unlocked states. The user can easily operate the visor between positions by controlling the locking element's state, while the system automatically maintains stability when locked. This dynamic design balances ease of operation with reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient member automatically engages the locking element with the locking slot when the visor is in the lowered position, without requiring manual intervention. This self-locking feature maintains visor stability while keeping the operation simple for the user.
3Reliability
If the locking element is designed to engage tightly with the locking slot, then visor stability is improved, but ease of manipulation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement parameters between the locking element and locking slot are optimized to provide sufficient holding force for stability while allowing controlled disengagement for manipulation. The geometry and dimensions of the locking features are designed to balance these opposing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient member acts as an intermediary element that facilitates controlled engagement and disengagement between the locking element and locking slot. It provides the necessary force for reliable locking while allowing easy manipulation when needed.
4Device complexity
If the visor mounting system uses a simple pin connection, then device complexity is reduced, but visor stability in high winds deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system segments the connection into multiple functional elements: the retaining pin provides pivot connection, while the locking element and guiding cavity provide stability control. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both simplicity and reliability by assigning specific functions to specific components.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element serves as an intermediary between the simple pin connection and the requirement for high-wind stability. It engages with the locking slot to provide the necessary stabilizing force while maintaining the overall simplicity of the mounting system design.
Data Source
AI summary
A skydiving helmet including a helmet shell having a front opening, is provided. The helmet further includes a visor having a lateral mounting section, where the visor is operable between a lowered position and a raised position. The skydiving helmet also includes a visor mounting system laterally positioned on the helmet shell to pivotally connect the lateral mounting section to the helmet shell. The visor mounting system includes a base plate having a cavity formed therein with a locking slot and a guiding section communicating with one another. The visor mounting system also includes a locking element positioned within the cavity and being operable between an extended configuration for preventing rotation of the visor, and a retracted configuration for allowing a frontward translation of the visor, away from the helmet front opening, and subsequent rotation of the visor, from the lowered to the raised position.