Wearable Garment Sensor Placement for Impact Force Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wearable garments with impact absorbing pads and smart clothing systems fail to accurately measure the force experienced by the body due to the placement of sensors on the outer surface, which limits their ability to assess the effectiveness of the impact absorbing pads and does not account for non-normal force applications.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a pressure sensor on the inner face of the impact absorbing pad to directly measure the transmitted force, combined with an accelerometer and gyroscope to calculate the incident force using a control system with a padding dampening factor, allowing for accurate determination of the force experienced by the wearer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the sensor is positioned on the outer surface of the impact absorbing pad, then the device structure is simpler, but the measurement precision of the force experienced by the body deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor placement structureVSAvoidforce measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional sensor placement by moving the pressure sensor from the outer surface to the inner surface of the impact absorbing pad. This inversion allows the sensor to directly measure the force transmitted to the body, providing accurate measurement of the cushioning effect while maintaining relatively simple device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Device complexity

If only the transmitted force is measured without calculating incident force, then the measurement system is simpler, but the reliability of impact assessment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement systemVSAvoidimpact assessment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the control system uses the measured transmitted force, along with padding dampening factor data, to calculate and determine the incident force. This closed-loop approach enhances the reliability of impact assessment by providing a comprehensive analysis that accounts for the pad's cushioning characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-determining the padding dampening factor through experimentation before actual impact measurement. This pre-characterization of the pad's cushioning properties enables more accurate calculation of incident force from the measured transmitted force, improving assessment reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If the pressure sensor measures only the normal component of force, then the sensor design is simpler, but the measurement precision of total impact force deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor designVSAvoidtotal impact force measurement

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces direct mechanical measurement of multi-directional force with a combination of simple normal force measurement and computational calculation. The control system uses the measured normal component of transmitted force, along with padding dampening factor and incident force angle data, to calculate the total incident force, achieving comprehensive measurement without complex multi-axis sensors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This approach enables a more accurate assessment of the force experienced by the wearer, providing enhanced protection and safety by directly measuring pressure downstream of the impact absorbing pad and calculating the incident force, thus improving the effectiveness of the impact absorbing pad's cushioning capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

measuring the pressure which has actually been transmitted through the impact absorbing pad

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure measurement:

Implementation Method 2

an accelerometer and a gyroscope to calculate the incident force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcceleration measurement: Accelerometer

Implementation Method 3

impact absorbing pad has a dampening factor at 7 kN of greater than 10%

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact absorption: Damping

Implementation Method 4

measuring the pressure which has actually been transmitted through the impact absorbing pad

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce transmission: Impact Force

Data Source

PatentUS10251433B2Wearable garment

Publication Date: 2019.04.09 DIGITAL VITALITY LTD

AI summary

A wearable garment includes at least one impact absorbing pad with an inner face facing the body of a wearer and an opposite outer face, and a pressure sensor on the side of the pad faced by the inner face of the pad positioned so as to measure the effect at the inner face of an impact on the outer face after a portion of the impact has been absorbed by the pad.