Icyuma Ibikoresho Birinda Umubiri · 2017
Nutty Buddy Flex Athletic Cup Igikoresho cyo Kurinda Imikino gifite Ubushobozi bwo Kwinyunyuza (Athletic Protective Cup)
by Dosun Shin and Mark Littell
- Igihembo cya A' Design Award cy'icyuma 2017 in Ibikoresho Birinda Umubiri
- CLIENT: Battle Sports Science
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 26,627
- Verification code 38221EE39D · Verify this award
Colors
About Nutty Buddy Flex Athletic Cup Igikoresho cyo Kurinda Imikino gifite Ubushobozi bwo Kwinyunyuza (Athletic Protective Cup)
Nutty Buddy Flex ni igikoresho cyo kurinda gikoreshwa n'abakinnyi b'abagabo mu mikino. Iki gikoresho gifite imiterere ijyanye n'inyubako y'umubiri, kikaba gikorwa hakoreshejwe uburyo bwo gushongesha no gucuranga mu gicucu (injection molding), gikozwe mu ibara rya polycarbonate n'ubwoko bw'ibikoresho bya thermoplastic elastomer byometsweho hejuru. Impera z'iki gikoresho zoroshye za elastomer zikwira ku mpande, bigatuma aho gihura n'uruhu haba hafite ubworoherane, kandi bigatuma iki gikoresho gikwirana neza mu gihe umubiri ukora imyimerere ikaze. Imbaraga z'ingaruka zisohoka zikwirakwizwa kandi zigasaranganywa neza ku gafuni k'urutugu n'inyama zoroshye zikikije. Iki gikoresho kiraboneka mu bunini butatu butandukanye, kandi gishobora gushyirwa mu mipantaro y'imikino isanzwe ndetse no mu bikoresho bindi byo kurinda (jock straps).
About the Igihembo cya A' Design Award cy'icyuma
Nutty Buddy Flex Athletic Cup Igikoresho cyo Kurinda Imikino gifite Ubushobozi bwo Kwinyunyuza (Athletic Protective Cup) ni uwegukanye Igihembo cya A' Design Award cy'icyuma, ishimwe ry'agaciro ritangwa ku bishushanyo byiza bihuza ibyo umwuga n'inganda bikeneye ku bihangano byashushanyijwe neza. Abegukanye icyuma bagaragaza ubuhanga bukomeye, ubumenyi bwihariye, imyumvire y'inzobere n'ubushobozi bwo guhanga bw'ababikoze. Nutty Buddy Flex Athletic Cup Igikoresho cyo Kurinda Imikino gifite Ubushobozi bwo Kwinyunyuza (Athletic Protective Cup) biteganyijwe ko izaba igihangano cyubahwa, gishimwa kandi gikundwa, gifatika kandi gifite udushya. Iki gishushanyo cyegukanye icyuma gihuza uburyo bwiza bukoreshwa mu nganda kandi gifite ibiranga bya tekiniki bifite ubushobozi, bifatanye n'ubumenyi n'impano. Nutty Buddy Flex Athletic Cup Igikoresho cyo Kurinda Imikino gifite Ubushobozi bwo Kwinyunyuza (Athletic Protective Cup) yubahwa kubera gukora neza, kandi yashushanyijwe kugira ngo inoze ubuzima, ifashe gutuma isi iba nziza.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The Nutty Buddy Flex is a redesign of the original, anatomically-shaped athletic cup design. The original polycarbonate cup had a thin co-molded soft polymer perimeter edge to cushion the contact between the cup and the skin. The new Flex cup increases the content of the soft polymer edge to include the side areas on the cup, permitting a more comfortable fit during dynamic body movements. This Flex cup redesign absorbs and more evenly distributes impact forces to the pubic bone and soft tissues
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The cup comes with 3 different sizes.
Hog (small): 6.8x4x2.2 inch, Trophy (medium): 7x4.1x2.4inch, Mongo (large): 7.2x4.3x2.5inch - Tags
- Nutty Buddy, Anatomical Cup, Killer Whale Cup
- Production Technology
- This cup was made by PC injection mold with TPE overmold.
Polycarbonate (Sabic 124R-701) for the cup and Thermoplastic Elastomer (GLS 1040X-1) overmolding for the flex side. OM 1040X-1 is a medical compliant overmolding TPE with very good adhesion to PC or ABS-based plastics. - Design Challenge
- After 5 years of use, feedback and surveys, we knew which areas needed improvement. Taking those areas – 1) added comfort 2) more flex 3) increased ventilation 4) greater security of location – and turning them into CAD design was one of the most challenging tasks. At the same time, we needed to maintain structural integrity and superior protection.
In addition, collecting human body data and defining different sizes of cup were a challenge. The head and tale part rubber were pilled off from the cup body after several months of use. The designer added some contacts and punched holes on the over molding part, so the inner and outer rubber were connected together. The tale part was broken by the high impact of water surface from a water ski jumper. The designer added 3 ribs inside of the tale part, and also added circle rings in the center of cup to increase the durability. - Research
- The difficult nature of observational research to get the measurements required the development of multiple sized vacuumed formed shells that were used to obtain user size and comfort feedback. Then, the designer collected and organized the human body data from the shell selections based on Large, Medium, and Small. Next, different sizes of prototype models were 3D-printed and tested by users. Again, feedback received from professional baseball players allowed the designer to modify the final shapes and sizes for each cup category.
- Inspiration
- The redesigned Flex cup continues to follow the anatomically-correct shape of the human male’s anatomy using the design principle of Form Follows Function. The original Nutty Buddy design has been on the market for seven years. Inventor and pitching coach Mark Littell has received feedback from players about possible revisions to the original cup. The Flex redesign is in response to the users’ comments and feedback and to give athletes increased range of motion and added comfort.
- Project Duration
- The redesign process started in July of 2014 and finished in February of 2015 in Arizona. After the design work, it took 8 months from the start of manufacturing to reach the market.
- Operation Flow
- The Flex cup high impact resistant polycarbonate material protects the male wearer’s genitals from external impact forces. The soft rubber wing provides cushioning comfort and absorbs any impacts. This cup can be easily installed into existing sport pants and jock straps.
- Patents
- Patented. Patent No: US 7,004,921. Mark Littell. 2006 & US 7,670,309. Mark Littell. 2010
- Image Credits
- Professor Dosun Shin, 2017
