TWI788074B - Head shape correction helmet - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a cranial shape correction helmet capable of sufficiently reducing the weight while maintaining the overall strength and hardness of the helmet, and satisfying the ventilation properties at the same time.

The cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention is a cranial shape correcting helmet comprising an "outer shell made of non-foamed synthetic resin" and "an inner pad made of foamed synthetic resin disposed on the inner surface of the shell", In the respective side heads of the above-mentioned shell, at least two reinforcing ribs for connection are arranged at symmetrical positions from the center of the side heads, and a slot is formed in the center of at least one of the side heads.

Description

Head shape correction helmet

The present invention relates to: a cranial shape correcting helmet "equipped with a hard outer shell and a soft inner pad" used for cranial deformation correction of infants.

As is well known to the general public, infants have deformed craniums, such as plagiocephaly (a deformed shape in which the cranium presents a left-right asymmetrical shape, with a large inclination towards one side), brachycephaly (a deformed shape in which the cranium is significantly shorter in front and rear dimensions) ), and long head (dolichocephaly, deformed shape in which the size of the cranium is significantly longer in the front-back direction) is treated by covering the infant's cranium with a cranial shape correction helmet, and inducing the growth of the cranium in the direction of correcting the deformation. Then, as a cranial shape correcting helmet used in such a treatment method, as in the following patent documents 1 and 2, a cranial shape correcting helmet using a hard outer shell and a soft inner pad is disclosed.

[Prior Art Literature] [Patent Document]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-169510

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-178462

The conventional cranial shape correcting helmet disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 has the following problems to be solved.

In the cranial shape correcting helmet described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a slot is provided, and a plurality of ventilation ports are provided in the shell. A surface fastener or the like is used as a fixing means at the vent port, and the cranial shape correcting helmet is attached to the wearer (user). However, in the case where the vent hole is also used as a fixing means, the shell is required to be light and thin, and since a certain degree of stress is concentrated on the vent port, there is a possibility that the cranial shape correcting helmet will be distorted from this part.

In order to maintain the necessary strength and hardness of the cranial shape correcting helmet, it is still necessary to form a considerable thickness of the shell (about 10~15mm). For this reason, the weight of the head cover shape correction helmet becomes a burden on the body of the child, and further weight reduction is expected. In addition, in order to match and maintain the corrective function of the cranium, the necessary strength and hardness, the hard shell forming the outer side of the cranial shape correcting helmet must be made of thermoplastic resin, and of course the air permeability is also deteriorated. Therefore, although there is a device that "largely opens the top of the head and has a plurality of vents on the side (temporal) part", it is still like Patent Documents 1 and 2, presenting a device that cannot be called "the wearer can comfortably wear it". wearing" state.

In addition, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, the following The lower structure: The shell with a hollow structure formed by the inner wall and the outer wall is used to achieve light weight, and the air circulation is promoted by setting vent holes on the inner wall and the outer wall. However, even if the hollow structure achieves weight reduction, the overall thickness of the shell cannot be reduced because the hollow structure is formed by the inner wall and the outer wall. When the strength of each wall is reduced, ribs for reinforcement must be provided everywhere, and the structure becomes complex. Accordingly, it is considered that the manufacturing steps are complicated and the cost becomes high.

The present invention is an invention developed in view of the above facts. Specifically, it is necessary to maintain a certain level of strength in addition to being expected to reduce the weight of the cranial shape correcting helmet. In addition, due to the growth of the wearer, the size of the helmet also needs to be able to be adjusted to a certain extent. When it is fixed, its structure is usually that a joint is provided on a traditional cranial shape correcting helmet, and a connecting member is used to form a fixation. The inventors of the present case found that in the above-mentioned case, the stress concentrates on the "connecting rib portion fixed by the connecting member", and the problem of the stress concentration described above becomes more pronounced when the shell of the cranial shape correcting helmet is thinned. . Therefore, the first technical subject of the present invention is to provide a cranial shape correcting helmet having reinforced "fragile joints".

The second technical subject of the present invention is to provide a cranial shape correcting helmet that can sufficiently reduce the weight while maintaining the overall strength and hardness of the helmet, and can also provide ventilation.

The inventor of this case has devoted himself to research and trial experiments As a result, it has been found that by providing a cranial shape correcting helmet with a hard shell reinforced with connecting ribs by various means, even if the shell is further thinned, there is no problem in fixing the wearer. In addition, it was also found that when the shell is formed by powder sintering lamination molding method, etc., by adopting a structure in which "the entire hard shell is formed of a network structure", both light weight and air permeability are achieved, and furthermore, by adding Directional (direction) dispersion of the resin enables the manufacture of cranial shape correction helmets that do not have any problems in terms of strength.

That is, the first aspect of the present invention is a cranial shape correcting helmet equipped with a "synthetic resin outer shell" and a "foamed synthetic resin inner pad disposed on the inner surface of the aforementioned shell". , In the respective side heads of the above-mentioned shell, the two reinforced connecting ribs are arranged at symmetrical positions from the center of the side heads, and a slot is formed in the center of at least one of the side heads. From the viewpoint of easiness of the manufacturing method, it is preferable to configure the thickness of the connecting rib part to be thicker than that of the hard shell. Alternatively, the connecting ribs may increase the density of the resin constituting the hard shell. Specifically, when manufacturing with a 3D printer, the "heat applied to the connecting rib" and the like can be changed. Alternatively, the connecting rib member may be made of "a resin different from the hard shell".

By adopting such a structure, even if the head cover shape correcting helmet is attached to the wearer by passing the connecting member through the connecting rib, the movement of the wearer and the stress generated at this time are absorbed by the reinforced connecting rib and the connecting member. , By this, compared with the traditional helmet that doubles as a vent and a connecting portion, such as the conventional helmet described in Patent Document 1, damage to the connecting portion that also serves as a vent or deformation of the entire helmet can be prevented. Considering that the cranial shape correction helmet is The device installed on the wearer for a long time to adjust the shape of the head cover absorbs stress by reinforcing the connecting ribs, thereby maintaining the overall shape of the helmet, which is a revolutionary approach. The material of the connecting rib portion may be the same as that of the case, or it may be added at a specific position later. From the viewpoint of simplicity of the manufacturing method, the same synthetic resin as the shell can be used, and it can be manufactured by known methods such as 3D printing.

In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cranial shape correcting helmet in which the connection rib is thicker than the thickness of the hard shell.

In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cranial shape correcting helmet in which the connection ribs are connected by a connection member.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a head cover shape correcting helmet, in which slots are provided on the side heads on both sides.

In the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a head cover shape correcting helmet in which the aforementioned shell is divided into a front side shell and a rear side shell by means of slots extending from the upper edge to the lower edge of the side heads on both sides.

In a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cranial shape correcting helmet, the shell of which has a mesh structure.

In a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cranial shape correcting helmet comprising a reinforcing portion having a greater thickness than the average thickness of the shell on the outer peripheral edge of the shell.

In an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a helmet for correcting the shape of the head cover. The shell has a plurality of vent holes on the entire surface, and the vent holes are arranged symmetrically from the center of the side of the head, and the thickness is thicker than the average thickness of the shell. air vents.

The ninth aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a headgear shape correcting helmet. According to the shape of the headgear to be corrected derived from the "scanning data of the headgear to be corrected", the shell is formed by using a manufacturing method using a 3D printer , and then dispose the liner on the inner surface of the shell.

In the present invention, the manufacturing method using the 3D printer can be appropriately selected. As such a manufacturing method, although there are material extrusion molding (Material Extrusion), photopolymerization curing (Vat Polymerization), powder bed fusion molding (Powder Bed Fusion), especially selective laser sintering (selective laser sintering) ), Material Jetting, Binder Jetting, Direct Energy Deposition, Sheet Lamination, but not limited to these methods.

In the present invention, the Shore D hardness (Shore D hardness) of the shell is 70-85, and the steel ball resilience (ASTM D3574) of the liner is preferably 15% or less. The shell is preferably formed with an opening corresponding to the top of the head cover, and the shell is generally ring-shaped. In a suitable embodiment, a slot "extending from the upper edge to the lower edge" is formed on the case, and a protruding piece "extending from the inner part in the thickness direction" is arranged on one side edge of the slot. The other side edge of the slot corresponds to the protruding piece, and a sunken concave part is arranged on the inner part in the thickness direction. On the surface of the protruding piece and the bottom surface of the sunken concave part, a "detachably formed If the protruding piece is located in the sunken recess and the protruding piece and the sunken concave are connected by the mutual connecting means, the areas on both sides of the slot in the surface of the shell will be round Slippery connection.

In the cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention, since the connecting ribs are relatively thick, the stress on the connecting member generated when the connecting member is mounted on the wearer can be absorbed by the connecting member and the connecting rib. Even if the shell part is further thinned, the wearer can wear it without any problem.

In addition, in the present invention, the case formed of synthetic resin can also be configured in a net shape (mesh shape). When the entire volume of the shell is assumed to be 100%, the volume ratio of the resin constituting the shell is about 95 to 70%. If the balance between lightweight and sentiment is considered, 75% is considered the most appropriate. In the present invention, the ratio of the volumes can be compared to the volume or weight of the resin used for the "non-mesh structure smooth surface cephalic shape correcting helmet" and the cephalic shape correcting helmet with a mesh structure for the same wearer. calculated by comparison. Although such a ratio varies depending on the degree of density of the network, when the overall volume of the shell is set to 100%, it is preferable that the volume ratio of the resin constituting the shell is about 90%, thereby ensuring It has the same strength as the cranial shape correcting helmet described in Patent Document 1. Therefore, the present invention can reduce the weight of the shell while reducing the use of resin. In addition, by adopting a mesh structure, the heat from the "head cover located inside the pad" can be efficiently dissipated from the entire shell, and the outside air can be efficiently introduced from the entire shell.

In addition, the head cover shape correcting helmet of the present invention has a front side The shell and the rear side shell are constituted, and these shells can be joined and fixed to the above-described slits by using fastening members such as surface fasteners on the fastening ribs. The connecting ribs are preliminarily formed thicker than the average thickness of the shell, ensuring "a firmly formed fixed part" in the network structure, and can suppress the distortion of the shape of the entire shell.

According to the method of the present invention, the shell is shaped according to the shape of the cranium to be corrected by using the manufacturing method of a 3D printer. It does not require expensive molding dies, and can be manufactured very quickly and at low cost: it is not limited by "maintaining the necessary strength and hardness", and can sufficiently reduce the weight of the shell. Correct the shape of the head cover helmet.

10:Cranial shape correction helmet

20: Rib for connection

22: Air vent

30: slot

40: Opening at the top of the head

50: Peripheral reinforcement

60: shell

70: Connecting components

80: inner pad

31: front and rear junction

61: mesh shell

62: Vent shell

311: Concave junction

322: convex junction

611: Front side shell

612: rear shell

[ Fig. 1 ] is a view showing a head cover shape correcting helmet constructed according to the present invention.

[ Fig. 2 ] is a view showing a joining rib of a cranial shape correcting helmet constructed according to the present invention.

[ Fig. 3 ] is a view showing a state in which the cranial shape correcting helmet constructed according to the present invention is fixed with a coupling member.

[ Fig. 4 ] is a view showing a cranial shape correcting helmet in which the shell portion is a mesh structure in the cranial shape correcting helmet constituted according to the present invention.

[ Fig. 5 ] is a view showing a cranial shape correcting helmet in which the shell part is divided into a front side shell and a rear side shell in the cranial shape correcting helmet constructed according to the present invention.

[ Fig. 6 ] is a view showing a cranial shape correcting helmet having a plurality of vent holes in the shell portion in the cranial shape correcting helmet constructed according to the present invention.

[ Fig. 7 ] is a diagram showing an enlarged view of a vent hole in a state in which "the vent hole also serves as a reinforced connecting rib" in the cranial shape correcting helmet constituted according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, a suitable embodiment of the cranial shape correcting helmet constituted according to the present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 1, the illustrated cranial shape correction helmet 10 according to the present invention is composed of a synthetic resin outer shell 60 and a foamed synthetic resin inner liner (not shown).

In addition, FIG. 1 also describes the slit 30 provided between the rib 20 for coupling and the rib 20 for coupling. The cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention is provided with a crown opening 40 . The crown opening 40 has a ring shape. In addition, the cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention includes the peripheral edge reinforcing portion 50 . The peripheral edge reinforcing portion 50 is a portion where the thickness of the material is increased along with the substantially circular upper edge “for defining the crown opening 40 ” at the peripheral portion of the front side shell and the peripheral portion of the rear side shell.

The cross-sectional shape of the peripheral reinforcing portion 50 may be a so-called "circular hemming" that is approximately circular with a diameter of about 4 to 8 mm. The thickness of the shell 60 other than the peripheral reinforcing portion 50 may be about 2 to 4 mm.

In FIG. 1, connecting ribs 20 are provided at positions at the same height of the respective shells with slots interposed therebetween. The shape of the connecting rib 20 is not so important as long as it has the function of "holding a connecting member such as a surface fastener" and can be adjusted. In FIG. 1 , connecting ribs 20 are formed at circular diameter positions. As shown in FIG. 3, by using the connecting member 70 on the connecting rib 20, the connecting state of the cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention can be adjusted.

Slits 30 are formed between the connecting ribs 20 . By properly adjusting (expanding) the slit 30 according to the growth state of the wearer's head, it is possible to correct without burdening the wearer's head by utilizing the tightness of the connecting member 70 without hindering the growth of the head cover. out of shape.

In the present invention, the case 60 may be formed of synthetic resin. It may also be molded together with the rib 20 for bonding, or may be molded separately and assembled later. According to the present invention, since the joint ribs 20 are provided in the slots 30 or in other forms at the front and rear joints, it is easy to withstand the stress caused by the adjustment when the helmet is worn or the movement of the wearer. Therefore, in the present invention, in order to reinforce the "portion that easily receives stress", a connection rib having a material thickness thicker than that of the case 60 is provided ( FIG. 2 ).

Next, referring to FIG. 3 , a state in which the cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention is mounted (weared) on the wearer will be described. The cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention includes an inner pad 80 inside the shell. The inner gasket 80 is formed of a foamed synthetic resin, preferably an open-cell foamed synthetic resin, and is disposed on the inner surface of the case 60 . The inner liner 80 is, for example, attached to the inner surface of the shell 60 through double-sided adhesive tape in a detachable manner. When the helmet shape correcting head cap of the present invention is polluted by the wearer's sweat, or it can be matched with the head cap growth, and timely replacement. It is preferable to dispose the inner gasket 80 on all parts of the inner surface of the shell 60 except the peripheral edge reinforcing part 50 . If necessary, the inner liner 80 may be composed of a plurality of members, and selectively attached to an appropriate portion of the inner surface of the shell 60 . The inner liner 80 formed of foamed synthetic resin has a thickness of 6-20 mm, and preferably has a steel ball resilience (ASTM D3574) of 15% or less. Suitable foamed synthetic resins for forming the inner liner 80 include open cell foamed urethane and continuous cell foamed amine sold under the trade name "Memory Foam CF-45". ethyl formate. The inner pad 80 disposed on the inner surface of the shell 60 functions as a so-called cushioning material and has a function of absorbing and evaporating sweat of the wearer. Since the sweat absorbed by the inner liner 80 evaporates through the opening 40 on the top of the head, or through the mesh structure of the mesh shell 61 described below, the wearer can wear it comfortably.

Next, referring to FIG. 4 , it will be described how the shell has a mesh structure in the cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention. In this aspect, since the mesh shell 61 has a mesh structure, compared with the conventional helmet described in Patent Document 1, the air permeability is improved. In addition, due to the mesh structure, the amount of resin used can be reduced. In addition, by forming the resin into a network structure, since the orientation of each resin is dispersed, it is possible to secure a strength equal to or higher than that of a conventional cranial shape correcting helmet, and the cranial shape of this embodiment can also be The orthopedic helmet was certified as being able to achieve the specification of "acceptance of certification as a medical device".

Next, referring to FIG. 5 , in the cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention, the state in which the shell is divided into front and rear will be described. In this state, concave binding The portion 311 and the convex coupling portion 322 are provided on the front shell 611 and the rear shell 612 . In the aspect shown in FIG. 5 , the concave coupling portion 311 is provided on the front side case 611 , and the convex coupling portion 322 is provided on the rear side case. In the aspect of FIG. 5 , the convex coupling portions 322 may be provided at both ends of the front side shell 611 , and the concave coupling portions 311 may be provided at both ends of the rear side shell 612 . Such a combination is not particularly important, and the convex coupling portion 322 can also be arranged on one side of the front side shell 611, and the concave portion coupling portion 311 can be located on the other side, and in order to make the two ends of the rear side shell respectively connected with the front side shell The two ends of the rear shell form a snap fit, and a connecting structure is provided at both ends of the rear side shell.

Next, referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 , in the cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention, the state in which the shell has a plurality of vent holes will be described. As described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, it is known that a case has a plurality of vent holes and that the vent holes are used as joint ribs. In this form, such a bonding rib is reinforced. In Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, it is shown that the thickness of the air vent at a suitable position is made thicker as a bonding rib. However, in the manufacturing process, for example, according to the study of "increasing the crystallinity of the resin in the part by controlling the heat of the laser", it is possible to reinforce the local vent without changing the thickness.

In the cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention, in response to the growth of the infant's cranium, the front and rear joints 31 or slots 30 and the connecting member 70 are slightly separated in the left and right directions, and the width thereof is increased, so that the cranial shape correcting helmet can also be adjusted. Slightly increased inner dimensions. Since the areas on both sides of the slot 30 in the inner surface of the case 60 are smoothly connected, the areas on both sides of the slot 30 in the surface of the case 60 are also smoothly connected without large protrusions or the like. For this reason, young children who wear cranial shape correcting helmets will not correct their heads due to cranial shape correction. Helmets prevent turning over during sleep. In addition, the cranial shape correction helmet does not shift due to the baby turning over while sleeping, and correct correction is not hindered.

The shell 60 of the cranial shape correcting helmet of the present invention is shaped according to the shape of the deformed cranium to be corrected by using a manufacturing method using a 3D printer.

The ratio of the volume of the resin used in this method to the "volume of the whole shell" is preferably 95% to 70% when the volume of the whole shell is set to 100%. When it is less than 70%, the produced network structure cannot ensure sufficient strength. In addition, when it is more than 95%, there is no cost advantage in terms of the amount of resin used, and it is not easy to manufacture when the shell forms a network structure. out of the mesh. In a suitable form, the selective laser sintering method uses laser light to form and sinter the resin powder to form and laminate it. Therefore, in such a forming method, when the plane is formed, the resin molecules shrink due to heat during sintering. However, orientation and the like are likely to cause a difference in strength. In the present invention, by forming the shell into a net shape, a state in which "the intersecting units of fine ridges are evenly dispersed over the entire surface" is formed, so "the physical properties derived from the heat shrinkage during this molding can be more uniformly maintained." Nature (physical property)".

The shape of the deformed cranium to be corrected can itself be determined by the well-known 3D scanning modality. In addition, the selective laser sintering method, which is a suitable example, is a well-known forming method, and its detailed description is omitted in this specification. In the present invention, the thickness of the front side shell and the thickness of the rear side shell can also be changed appropriately. For example, by making the composition of the "frontal shell containing the forehead part with more sweat lines" thinner, it is possible to efficiently perform Diffusion of sweat.

As the synthetic resin material used to form the case, there are listed materials such as polyamide (nylon), polycarbonate, polyester, polyacetal, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polybutylene, ABS resin, cellulose resin, acrylic resin, epoxy resin, and fluororesin are relatively rigid synthetic resins, but polyamide is more suitable according to the formability, strength and hardness of the selective laser sintering method, especially polyamide 12. The Shore D hardness of the formed shell 60 is 70-85, and 75-80 is more preferable.

Example 1

Nylon 12 powder is used, and it is molded into a shell as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 by using a powder sintering lamination molding machine (trade name "RaFaE1" of Nissho ASPECT). The lamination pitch is 0.1mm. The average inner diameter of the shell is about 150mm, and the overall height is about 150mm. The thickness of the parts other than the thicker reinforcement is 3.0mm, and the cross-sectional diameter of the thicker reinforcement is 6.0mm. The average diameter of the openings on the shell surface is about 90mm. The Shore D hardness of the shell was 77, and the total weight of the shell was 63.0 g.

After the above-mentioned shell was dropped naturally from a height of 150 cm in an upright state onto a flat concrete floor, the state of the shell was checked, and no damage such as cracks was found on the shell. .

Example 2

Similar to Example 1, the shell shown in FIG. 5 and the shell of the shape described in Patent Document 1 were formed based on the scanned cranial data of the same infant. The helmet disclosed in Patent Document 1 was manufactured under approximately the same conditions as in Example 1. In the case of manufacturing under the same conditions except for the formation of the mesh structure, the helmet described in Patent Document 1 requires a resin volume of 103.298 mm ³ for shell molding, and the molding process of the helmet shown in FIG. The required resin capacity is 93.011mm ³ . Depending on the amount of resin used, about 10% weight reduction can be achieved by forming a network structure.

Furthermore, when these shells were dropped naturally from a height of 150 cm in an upright state onto a flat concrete floor, the state of the shells was checked, and no damage such as cracks in the shells was found.

Even a lightweight helmet can achieve the same strength as conventional products.

31: front and rear junction

61: mesh shell

Claims (9)

A cranial shape correcting helmet comprising a synthetic resin outer shell and a foamed synthetic resin inner liner disposed on the inner surface of the shell, wherein each side head of the shell is reinforced. At least two connecting ribs are arranged symmetrically from the center of the side head, at least one of the side head centers is formed with a slit, and the aforementioned connecting rib also serves as a vent hole, or is formed on an existing The diametrical location of the vent that forms the circle. The cranial shape correcting helmet according to claim 1, wherein the connecting rib is thicker than the thickness of the shell. The cranial shape correcting helmet according to claim 1, wherein the connecting ribs are connected by a connecting member. The head cover shape correcting helmet as described in Claim 1, wherein the aforementioned slots are provided on the side heads on both sides. The head cover shape correcting helmet as described in claim 1, wherein the aforementioned shell is divided into a front side shell and a rear side shell by the aforementioned slot extending from the upper edge to the lower edge of the side heads on both sides. The head cover shape correcting helmet as described in claim 1, wherein the aforementioned shell has a mesh structure. In the cranial shape correcting helmet according to claim 1, a reinforcing part having a thickness greater than the average thickness of the shell is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the shell. The head cover shape correcting helmet as described in claim 1, wherein the shell is provided with a plurality of vent holes on the entire surface. A method of manufacturing a cranial shape correcting helmet, which is the manufacturing method of the cranial shape correcting helmet described in any one of claim 1 to claim 7, wherein the cranium to be corrected is derived from the scanned data of the cranium to be corrected shape, forming the shell by selective laser sintering, and then disposing the liner on the inner surface of the shell.

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