Two wheelers are quite abundant in developing countries like India. A lot of two wheelers means a lot of head protection, a.k.a. helmets. A lot of helmets means a lot of people unnecessarily carrying them around because they cannot leave it on their bike. Products that allowed you to tether the helmet to your bike are available, but they do not protect your helmet from the elements.

At ergoform, we wanted to create a product that could protect your helmet completely while you have parked your bike, and fold away into a small footprint when you are riding it. It was the first in a line of products aimed at the automotive accessories market.

Design Constraints:
1. The product would have to be made of plastic and hence tooling costs need to be kept to the minimum.

2. Waterproofing is important, specially given that most two-wheeler parking areas in the monsoon country of India are outdoor.

3. It would need to fit on any bike independent of the construction of the rear end (typically each bike has its own characteristic design).

Solution:
1. A collapsible structure inspired by the armadillo and ancient armor designs.

2. A single plastic part that would nest into the next in order to create a fan fold like structure that could expand to envelop a large surface. The parts were engineered to ensure that water would have a hard time getting in.

3. A bracket design that is modular so that it fits into any bike end. The armadillo then locks into is to provide a secure lock to prevent theft.

My role included design research, conception of the mechanism, development of the 3D model, and engineering the first prototype.

The folding mechanism is patent pending.