Wearable Radiation-Protective Shield for Eye Protection and Clear Vision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Clinical staff are exposed to radiation during diagnostic and surgical procedures, posing a risk of radiation eye injury while wearing existing radiation-protective garments that impair vision.
Innovation Solution
A wearable radiation-protective shield with a head part and neck part made of X-ray attenuating material, designed to minimize radiation exposure to the eyes with minimal impairment of the user's field of vision, featuring a curved shape and specific geometric configurations to enhance protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional radiation-protective garments (aprons, thyroid collars) are used to reduce radiation exposure, then radiation protection is improved, but vision is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The protective shield is segmented into a head part and a neck part, with the head part specifically designed to protect the eyes and upper face while the neck part protects the thyroid and neck region. This segmentation allows targeted protection of radiation-sensitive areas without unnecessarily blocking the user's vision.
Solution Approach 2:
The head part has non-uniform thickness with varying lead equivalence: thicker regions (greater than 0.5mm Pb eq) are positioned laterally to protect the eyes and temporal regions, while thinner regions (0.25-0.5mm Pb eq) are positioned centrally to minimize visual obstruction. This local variation in protective quality optimizes both radiation protection and vision.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the head part is made thicker to improve eye protection, then radiation protection is improved, but the shield becomes heavier and less comfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The shield employs non-uniform thickness distribution with thicker lateral sections (greater than 0.5mm Pb eq) for eye protection and thinner central sections (0.25-0.5mm Pb eq) for reduced weight. This localized concentration of material only where radiation exposure is highest minimizes overall weight while maintaining adequate eye protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield is constructed from composite material combining lead-equivalent radiopaque substance with a flexible carrier material (such as polymer or fabric). This composite structure provides high radiation attenuation in thin sections, reducing the overall weight compared to solid lead or uniformly thick construction while maintaining protective effectiveness.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the head part extends higher to improve eye protection, then radiation protection is improved, but field of vision is more impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The head part is designed with taller lateral sections extending above the eye level to protect the eyes and temporal regions from scatter radiation, while the central section is kept lower to avoid blocking the user's forward and downward vision. This differential height design provides comprehensive eye protection while preserving the field of vision.
Solution Approach 2:
The head part features a curved, contoured shape that follows the natural anatomy of the head and ears, with lateral extensions that wrap around the temporal regions. This curved design provides effective lateral protection for the eyes while the contours are optimized to minimize obstruction of the user's natural field of vision.
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 shield effectively reduces radiation exposure to the eyes with minimal impact on the user's vision, providing comfortable and efficient protection during procedures like Interventional Radiology.
Implementation Method 1
a head part, or upper part, wherein the head part is a of sheet-like, pliable, and radiation attenuating first material
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 2c~2d
AI summary
1. A wearable radiation-protective shield (10) that has an intended position at the neck of a user is proposed. The radiation-protective shield (10) comprises: a head part (12), wherein the head part (12) is a of sheet-like, pliable, and radiation attenuating first material. The head part (12) has a forward end (18) in the intended position relative to the user, the head part (12) has an outer edge (20) and an inner edge (22), and the radiation-protective shield (10) is arranged to position the inner edge (22) at the neck of the user in the intended position. The head part (12) has a first central line (28) that extends normal to the inner edge (22) and through the corresponding forward end (18) in the planar shape of the head part (12). The head part (12) has a height (h) in a planar shape of the head part (12) between the inner edge (22) and the outer edge (20) and normal to inner edge (22). The head part (12) has a first maximum height (hmax) at a point between the first central line (28) and a first end (34) of the inner edge (22) that is greater than the height at the first central line (28). The head part (12) further has a second maximum height at a point between the first central line (28) and the second end (36) of the inner edge (22), and the second maximum height is greater than the height at the first central line (28).