Load-bearing leg energy absorption system

Abstract

The system disclosed herein includes: a support leg (102) positioned to abut against the floor of a vehicle; a support member (106) configured to engage with a corresponding coupling member of a child safety seat to secure the child safety seat to a selected vehicle seat and to limit displacement between them in the event of a collision; and an energy absorption assembly (110) configured to connect the support leg and the support member and to absorb collision energy during a collision, at least by limiting or eliminating downward movement of a child occupant in the child safety seat.

Description

[0001] Priority claims and cross-referencing of related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 606,443, entitled “Bearing Leg Energy Absorption System,” filed on December 5, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to a vehicle safety seat system, and more specifically to a load-bearing leg energy absorption system for use with a child safety seat, configured to absorb collision energy during a vehicle collision via at least one sacrificial component within the load-bearing leg of the deformable system. Background Technology

[0004] Car seats can protect infants and toddlers in collisions, yet car accidents are one of the leading causes of death for young children. Therefore, it is crucial that guardians correctly select and use appropriate child safety seats and accessories every time their child travels in a car. For example, children under one year old should always use a rear-facing car seat installed in the back seat. They should continue using a rear-facing car seat until they reach the height or weight limit indicated on the seat. In a collision, a rear-facing car seat helps reduce the risk of injury because it distributes the impact force throughout the child's body, protecting the head, neck, and spine. Young children's necks and spinal cords are particularly vulnerable, and a rear-facing car seat reduces pressure on these critical areas. Children can also use forward-facing car seats installed in the back seat, equipped with a seatbelt or lower anchor point and tether. In a collision, the seatbelt distributes the impact force throughout the child's body and secures the child to the seat. The tether restricts forward head movement. However, current vehicle safety measures rely primarily on various restraint devices, such as seat belts, seat belts, and LATCH belts. The impact of a collision can be transmitted to children inside the vehicle, causing serious injury.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for an improved child safety seat accessory that can absorb energy and reduce the impact force during a collision. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure provides a load-bearing leg energy absorption system for a child safety seat, the system including a load-bearing leg having a sacrificial element that deforms or breaks under translational or torsional loads generated by a collision impact during a vehicle collision, thereby reducing the collision energy transmitted to the child occupant. For example, the load-bearing leg energy absorption system may employ a torsional design, wherein rotational movement of the load-bearing leg causes one or more pins to shear, as described below. Figures 1-3As shown; or a torsional design as follows, wherein the rotational movement of the supporting leg causes the pin to be pushed through a curved slit, the initial diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the pin, but gradually narrows until it is less than the diameter of the pin, as described below. Figures 4-9 As shown. Figures 10-15 Several alternative embodiments according to this disclosure are illustrated. For example, an additional torsional design of the load-bearing leg energy absorption system may involve bending or deforming a rod or tube against a solid metal or plastic component in response to the rotational movement of the load-bearing leg during a collision. Another design may involve bending or deforming a mesh-like plastic component in response to the rotational movement of the load-bearing leg during a collision. According to another torsional design, rotation of the load-bearing leg may cause compression of a spring or gas strut, thereby absorbing collision energy. In yet another embodiment, rotation of the load-bearing leg may cause deformation of an interlocking set of gear-like components of a metal rod or tube. For example, as the rod or tube rotates through each point, it may cause each gear tooth to bend.

[0007] According to other aspects, the energy absorption system of the bearing leg disclosed herein may employ a translational design, wherein the linear action of the bearing leg deforms the internal or external components, or the linear action of the bearing leg compresses the spring, or the linear action of the bearing leg shears the locking mechanism of the bearing leg through a series of locking positions.

[0008] In one embodiment, the load-bearing leg energy absorption system disclosed herein may not be folded under the vehicle seat frame for storage, but may be completely removed from the child safety seat base when not in use.

[0009] The simplified overview of the exemplary aspects above is intended to provide a basic understanding of this disclosure. This overview is not a comprehensive summary of all aspects to be considered, nor is it intended to identify key elements or essential components of all aspects, or to define the scope of any or all aspects of this disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present one or more aspects in a simplified form as an introduction to a more detailed description of this disclosure thereafter. To achieve the foregoing purpose, one or more aspects of this disclosure include the features described and illustrated in the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The accompanying drawings form part of this specification and, together with the detailed description, illustrate one or more exemplary aspects of this disclosure and serve to explain its principles and implementation.

[0011] Figure 1 A first embodiment of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown;

[0012] Figure 2 An assembly view of an energy absorption component according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown;

[0013] Figure 3Exemplary aspects according to this disclosure are shown Figure 2 Exploded view of the energy absorption component;

[0014] Figure 4 A second embodiment of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown;

[0015] Figure 5 An assembly view of an energy absorption component according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 6 Exemplary aspects according to this disclosure are shown Figure 5 Exploded view of the energy absorption component;

[0017] Figure 7 Exemplary aspects according to this disclosure are shown Figure 5 Side view of the energy absorption component;

[0018] Figure 8 A first embodiment of a curved slit according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 9 A second embodiment of a curved slit according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 10 A third embodiment of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 11 A fourth embodiment of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system, illustrating an exemplary aspect of this disclosure, is shown.

[0022] Figure 12 A fifth embodiment of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system, illustrating an exemplary aspect of this disclosure, is shown.

[0023] Figure 13 A sixth embodiment of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system, illustrating an exemplary aspect of this disclosure, is shown.

[0024] Figure 14 A seventh embodiment of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown;

[0025] Figure 15 An eighth embodiment of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system according to an exemplary aspect of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Various aspects of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements. For ease of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in the following description to aid in a thorough understanding of one or more aspects of this disclosure. However, in certain circumstances it will be apparent that any aspect described below can be implemented without employing the specific design details described below.

[0027] To improve child occupant safety in vehicle crashes, some child safety seats may be equipped with support legs. Support legs, also known as footrests or support bars, are typically a metal bar that extends downwards from the bottom of, for example, a rear-facing or convertible child safety seat and rests on the vehicle floor. Crash tests have shown that support legs can enhance stability during a collision, allowing the child safety seat to better connect with the vehicle, thereby significantly reducing the transfer of collision energy to the child occupant's head and neck, protecting the child occupant's brain and spine.

[0028] This disclosure generally relates to a load-bearing leg energy absorption system for a child safety seat, designed to reduce the impact forces on a child occupant's body while redistributing the remaining forces to the strongest parts of the child's body, such as the back. For example, in a frontal collision, a rear-facing child occupant and safety seat may move forward while simultaneously rotating downward as the vehicle seat cushion compresses. During this downward rotation, the child occupant may suddenly slide upward within the safety seat, and the impact forces can become very large when the neck and shoulders come into contact with the corresponding seatbelts of the safety seat. Generally, the greater the range of movement of the child occupant during a collision, the greater the likelihood of injury. This disclosure advantageously provides a load-bearing leg energy absorption system designed to reduce or even eliminate downward rotation during a collision. In one aspect, the disclosed system keeps the child safety seat in a more upright position during a collision. Therefore, the backrest of the safety seat absorbs energy instead of the associated seatbelts and seat belts, and the impact forces are distributed along the child occupant's back rather than concentrated on the neck and shoulders. In addition, because the seat remains in a more upright position during a collision, the system also reduces the risk of child occupants sliding out of the safety seat and hitting their heads inside the vehicle.

[0029] Furthermore, during a collision, after the child safety seat rotates downwards, it may rotate around its seatbelt path and move upwards, approaching the vehicle seat. The load-bearing leg energy absorption system of this disclosure allows the initial collision energy to be absorbed by at least a plurality of components of the system while limiting or eliminating downward movement, thereby reducing the extent to which the child safety seat rebounds into the vehicle interior. As will be described in detail below, the system of this disclosure can be configured to redirect at least a portion of the impact force applied along one trajectory into a reaction force distributed along another trajectory.

[0030] According to certain aspects of this disclosure, Figure 1This diagram shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a support leg energy absorption system 100 for a child safety seat in a vehicle. The system 100 may include a support leg 102, a safety seat support member 106, and an energy absorption assembly or component 110. The support leg 102 abuts against the vehicle floor via a component 104. The energy absorption assembly or component 110 is configured to connect the support leg 102 and the safety seat support member 106. The support leg 102 may include a first tubular member 103a that is telescopically movable relative to a second tubular member 103b, allowing a user to adjust the length of the support leg 102 while securing it to the vehicle floor. For example, multiple holes may be provided in the first tubular member 103a to secure and lock the telescopic tubular members 103a and 103b in one of multiple discrete positions. It should be understood that any suitable adjustment mechanism can be used to telescopically extend the support leg 102 to a desired length. For example, the support leg 102 may include multiple nested concentric tubular portions that slide relative to each other, thereby achieving a continuously adjustable length. Each nested concentric tubular portion can be partially or completely exposed or covered by extending or retracting adjacent nested concentric tubular portions. The nested concentric tubular portions can be locked to each other, for example, by a snap-fit ​​mechanism, to maintain the desired position. In another example, the telescopic sliding tubular portions 103a and 103b carrying the leg 102 can maintain frictional contact via one or more ribs or O-rings located on the sliding surfaces of one or both sliding portions 103a and 103b.

[0031] The child safety seat support component 106 of system 100 may include two parallel sides 108a and 108b and a child safety seat base support component 108c. When the child safety seat is installed in a vehicle seat (whether rear-facing or forward-facing), the child safety seat support component 106 is configured to engage with a corresponding connecting component of the child safety seat, thereby securing it to the vehicle seat and limiting displacement between the child safety seat and the vehicle seat in the event of a collision. A collision generally refers to a brief interaction between two or more objects, resulting in a change in the motion of the objects due to the internal forces between them. A collision can be an elastic collision, an inelastic collision, or some combination of both. Momentum is conserved in any collision. An elastic collision conserves both momentum and kinetic energy; an inelastic collision conserves only momentum, not kinetic energy. Typically, vehicle collisions are inelastic collisions because some of the kinetic energy generated by the collision is converted into other forms of energy, such as heat and sound energy.

[0032] The child safety seat support component 106 can be connected to the energy absorption assembly 110 via a clamping connector 112. Specifically, the clamping connector 112 includes an upper portion and a lower portion, which form a complete circumference on the outer surfaces of the two parallel sides 108a, 108b of the child safety seat support component 106. The clamping connector 112 can be configured to reduce vibration and displacement between the child safety seat and the support leg energy absorption system 100.

[0033] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The images show assembled and exploded views of the various components of the energy absorption assembly 110. The energy absorption assembly 110 may include a shielding member 202 rotatably supported and connected to the support leg 102, and connected to the support leg 102 via a rotating shaft or axle 204. The shielding member 202 may be pivotally connected to a clamping joint 112 via two pairs of plates 206a, 208a, 206b, and 208b respectively disposed on both sides. These plates support the rotating shaft or axle 204, a first torsion shaft or pin 210, a second torsion shaft or pin 212, and a locating pin 214. In one aspect, the clamping joint 112 may include a biasing structure 216 that limits rotation between the support leg energy absorption system 100 and the connected child safety seat during a collision by deforming and shearing the torsion shaft or pin 212. Similarly, the shape and size of the shielding component 202 can be designed to bias the torsion shaft or pin 210 to mitigate any downward movement during a collision and allow the energy-absorbing assembly 110 to absorb energy associated with the yielding of the torsion shaft or pin 210. Furthermore, the locating pin 214 can be a solid, headless, cylindrical metal bar machined to specific tolerances for aligning, positioning, and pivoting the shielding component 202 and the distal clamping joint 112 to further absorb lateral stress during a collision.

[0034] In one embodiment, the energy absorbed by the energy-absorbing assembly 110 due to the deformation of torsion pins 210 and 212 depends on the torque (yield torque) required to deform, yield, or permanently change the shape of each torsion pin. The yield torque (T) of a torsion pin depends on the diameter (D) of the torsion pin and the torsional yield strength of the material constituting the torsion pin. The value of the yield torque (T) can be calculated based on the torsional yield strength (τ) and the diameter as follows:

[0035] T = (τ * πD)³ / 16, where τ is the maximum shear stress on the outer surface of each torsion pin 210, 212. If each torsion pin 210, 212 is subjected to only torsional load, one principal stress is tensile stress and the other principal stress is compressive stress. If each torsion pin 210, 212 is made of a brittle material, under conditions such as a collision, each pin will fail due to surface cracks that propagate into its interior, thereby dissipating the collision energy to the energy absorption assembly 110 and diverting the energy away from the child occupant.

[0036] It should be understood that the specific implementation, size, shape, and displacement of each component of the energy absorption assembly 110 can be determined and modified to achieve the required energy absorption characteristics of the support leg energy absorption system 100. For example, the energy absorption characteristics of the support leg energy absorption system 100 can be adjusted by: adjusting the rotation angle of the shielding component 202 and / or the clamping joint 112 before engaging with the torque pins 210, 212; modifying the materials constituting the torque pins 210, 212; and / or modifying the diameter of the torque pins 210, 212. Furthermore, the support leg energy absorption system 100 can be further customized by installing energy-absorbing or cushioning materials (e.g., metal honeycomb) or crushable materials (e.g., foam) on the outer surface of the system 100.

[0037] According to certain aspects of this disclosure, Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a support leg energy absorption system 400 for a child safety seat in a vehicle. The system 400 may include a support leg 402, a safety seat support member 406, and an energy absorption assembly 410. The support leg 402 may be positioned abutting against the floor of the vehicle via a member 404, and the energy absorption assembly 410 is configured to connect the support leg 402 and the safety seat support member 406.

[0038] In some embodiments, the support leg 402 may include a first tubular member 403a that is telescopically movable relative to a second tubular member 403b, allowing a user to adjust its length when the support leg 402 is secured to the vehicle floor. For example, multiple holes may be provided in the first tubular member 403a to secure and lock the telescopic tubular members 403a and 403b in one of a plurality of discrete positions. It should be understood that any suitable adjustment mechanism may be used to telescopically extend or retract the support leg 402 to a desired length. For example, the support leg 402 may include a plurality of nested concentric tubular portions configured to slide against each other to achieve a continuously adjustable length. Each nested concentric tubular portion may be partially or completely exposed or covered by extending or retracting telescopically into or out of adjacent nested concentric tubular portions. The nested concentric tubular portions may be locked together, for example, by a snap-fit ​​mechanism to maintain the desired position. In another example, the telescopic sliding tubular portions 403a and 403b of the supporting leg 402 may maintain frictional contact through one or more ribs or O-rings on the sliding surfaces of one or both of the sliding portions 403a and 403b.

[0039] The child safety seat support member 406 of system 400 may include two parallel sides 408a, 408b and a horizontal support member 408c, which is pivotally connected to the energy absorption assembly 410. When the child safety seat is installed in a vehicle seat (whether rear-facing or forward-facing), the child safety seat support member 406 may be configured to engage with a corresponding coupling member of the child safety seat to secure it to the vehicle seat and limit displacement between them in the event of a collision. The horizontal support member 408c of the child safety seat support member 406 may be connected to the energy absorption assembly 410 via a coupling member 412. Specifically, the coupling member 412 includes a left half and a right half that form a complete circumference on the outer surface of the horizontal support member 408c of the child safety seat support member 406. The coupling member 412 may be configured to reduce vibration and displacement between the child safety seat and the load-bearing leg energy absorption system 400.

[0040] Figure 5 and Figure 6 The images show an assembled view of the energy absorption assembly 410 and exploded views of its various components. For example... Figure 6As shown, the energy-absorbing component 410 may include a component 502 rotatably supported and connected to the support leg 402 via a rotation shaft 504. The component 502 may be pivotally connected to the connecting member 412 via baffles respectively disposed on both sides, these baffles serving to support the rotation shaft 504 and the torsion shaft or pin 506. In one aspect, the right half of the connecting member 412 may include a structure 508 that holds the torsion shaft or pin 506 in an initially undeformed configuration by deforming and shearing it, and limits rotation between the support leg energy-absorbing system 400 and the attached child safety seat during a collision. That is, the shape and size of the structure 508 may be designed to abut against the torsion shaft or pin 506 to mitigate any downward movement of the attached child safety seat during a collision and to enable the energy-absorbing component 410 to absorb energy associated with the yielding of the torsion shaft or pin 506.

[0041] Component 502 can be pivotally fixed to connecting member 412 by means of first rotating plates 510a, 510b, second rotating plates 512a, 512b, and sacrificial plates 514a, 514b respectively disposed on both sides. For example, rotating plates 510a, 512a, and sacrificial plates 514a can be fixed together on one side by bolts or other suitable means, thereby defining a curved slit 516 to slidably receive the distal end of torsion shaft or pin 506, such as Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 The curved slit 516 holds one end of the torsion shaft or pin 506 in an initially undeformed configuration, where the diameter of the curved slit 516 is equal to the diameter of the torsion pin 506. The curved slit 516 extends downward and gradually narrows until it is smaller than the diameter of the torsion pin 506. In the event of a vehicle collision, the load-bearing leg 402 rotates at least the sacrificial plates 514a and 514b to engage the torsion shaft or pin 506 with the narrower portion of the curved slit 516 in response to the impact force acting on the load-bearing leg energy absorption system 400.

[0042] In one embodiment, such as Figure 8As shown, the curved slit 516 typically allows the torsion shaft or pin 506 to move in the upper part of the slit 516 in response to slight rotational movement between the load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 400 and the connected child safety seat. If the load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 400 is subjected to a sufficient impact force, the load-bearing leg 402 will rotate at least the sacrificial plates 514a and 514b, thereby pushing the torsion shaft or pin 506 downward toward the narrower portion of the curved slit 516, thus transferring the impact energy to the load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 400. That is, the downward movement of the connected child safety seat due to a collision may be slowed or stopped completely. If additional force is applied, the load-bearing leg 402 and the sacrificial plates 514a, 514b will continue to rotate about the torsion pin 506 until the load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 400 reaches near-maximum deformation. In some embodiments, maximum deformation of the torsion pin 506 is achieved when the components of the load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 400 collide with each other sufficiently to hold the torsion pin 506 in a specific position within the curved slit 516 and prevent any rotational movement caused by the collision. In other embodiments, the sacrificial plates 514a, 514b and the torsion pin 506 may be made of a material capable of deformation, partial or complete fracture, to absorb additional forces applied to the load-bearing leg energy absorption system 400, thereby minimizing the impact forces transmitted to the child seat support member 406 and the child occupant.

[0043] In another embodiment, such as Figure 9As shown, the curved slit 516 may include a protrusion or any suitable structure 518 to hold the torsion shaft or pin 506 in its initial undeformed configuration at its distal top, where the diameter of the curved slit 516 is equal to the diameter of the torsion pin 506. When a sufficient impact force is detected acting on the load-bearing leg energy absorption system 400, the load-bearing leg 402 at least rotates the sacrificial plates 514a, 514b, pushing the torsion shaft or pin 506 downward, causing it to break the protrusion 518 and move toward the narrower portion of the curved slit 516, thereby transferring the impact energy to the load-bearing leg energy absorption system 400. That is, the downward movement of the child safety seat caused by a collision can be slowed or stopped completely. If additional force continues to be applied, the load-bearing leg 402 and the sacrificial plates 514a, 514b will continue to rotate about the torsion pin 506 until the deformation of the load-bearing leg energy absorption system 400 approaches its maximum value. In some embodiments, this maximum deformation of the torsion pin 506 is achieved when the components of the support leg energy absorption system 400 collide with each other in a manner sufficient to hold the torsion pin 506 in a specific position within the curved slit 516 and prevent any rotational movement caused by the collision. In other embodiments, the sacrificial plates 514a, 514b and the torsion pin 506 may be made of a deformable, partially or completely broken or fractured material to absorb additional forces applied to the support leg energy absorption system 400, thereby minimizing the impact forces transmitted to the child seat support member 406 and the child occupant.

[0044] It should be understood that the specific implementation, size, shape, and displacement of each component of the energy-absorbing assembly 410 can be determined and modified to achieve the required energy absorption characteristics of the load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 400. For example, the energy absorption characteristics of the load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 400 can be adjusted by modifying the amplitude of rotation of the load-bearing leg 402 and / or sacrificial plates 514a, 514b before engaging with the torsion pin 506; modifying the materials constituting the sacrificial plates 514a, 514b, torsion pin 506, and lug 518; modifying the size, shape, structure, and / or configuration of the curved slit 516 to limit the movement of the torsion pin 506 in response to a detected impact force; and / or modifying the diameter of the torsion pin 506. The load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 400 can be further customized by mounting or fitting energy-absorbing or cushioning materials (e.g., metal honeycomb) or crushable materials (e.g., foam) on the outer surface of the system 400.

[0045] According to the third embodiment of this disclosure, Figure 10 This is a perspective view of a support leg energy absorption system 1000 used in a child safety seat in a vehicle. Figures 1-3Similar to the energy-absorbing component 110 in the original system, the load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 1000 may include a shielding component 1002 rotatably supported by the load-bearing leg 1004 and connected to the load-bearing leg 1004 via a rotating shaft or axle 1006. The shielding component 1002 may be pivotally connected to a clamping joint 1008 via several plates respectively disposed on both sides to support the rotating shaft or axle 1006 and the torsion bar or tube 1010. In one aspect, the clamping joint 1008 may include a biasing structure 1012 that limits rotational movement relative to axis 1014 between the load-bearing leg energy-absorbing system 1000 and the coupled child safety seat during a collision by deforming and bending the torsion bar or tube 1010. On one hand, the biasing structure 1012 may be made of solid metal or plastic and configured to abut against the torsion bar or tube 1010 to mitigate any downward movement during a collision and allow the energy-absorbing component 1000 to absorb energy associated with the yielding of the torsion bar or tube 1010.

[0046] In one embodiment, the energy absorbed by the energy-absorbing component 1000 due to deformation of the torsion bar or tube 1010 may depend on the torque (yield torque) required to achieve deformation, yielding, or permanent change of shape of the torsion bar or tube 1010. The yield torque (T) of the torsion bar or tube 1010 depends on its diameter (D) and the torsional yield strength of the material constituting the torsion bar or tube. The value of the yield torque (T) can be calculated based on the torsional yield strength (τ) and the diameter as follows: T = (τ * πD)³ / 16, where τ is the maximum shear stress on the outer surface of the torsion bar or tube 1010. If the torsion bar or tube 1010 is subjected to only torsional loads, one of the principal stresses is tensile stress and the other is compressive stress. If the torsion bar or tube 1010 is made of a brittle material, it may fail, for example, during a collision, due to surface cracks that propagate towards the core of the torsion bar or tube 1010, thereby dissipating the collision energy to the energy-absorbing component 1000 and keeping the energy away from the child occupant.

[0047] According to the fourth embodiment of this disclosure, Figure 11 A perspective view of a support leg energy absorption system 1100 for use in a child safety seat in a vehicle is shown. The support leg energy absorption system 1100 and... Figure 10 The energy absorption system 1000 with load-bearing legs shown is basically similar. (And...) Figure 10Unlike the bending torsion bar or tube 1010 shown, the load-bearing leg energy absorption system 1100 may include a mesh-like plastic component 1102 that can bend or deform during rotation of the load-bearing leg. That is, the torsion bar or tube 1102 may be configured to bend and deform the mesh-like plastic component 1102 during impact, thereby mitigating any downward motion and allowing the energy-absorbing component 1100 to absorb energy associated with the yielding of the mesh-like plastic component 1102. Example mesh structures may include, but are not limited to, recessed taut structures, hexagonal structures, and AuxHex structures.

[0048] Figure 12 A fifth embodiment of this disclosure is shown. The support leg energy absorption system 1200 can be used in conjunction with a child safety seat in a vehicle, wherein rotation of the support leg causes compression of a spring or gas strut 1202, thereby absorbing energy generated during a vehicle collision. In normal use, prior to a vehicle collision, the two distal ends of the spring or gas strut 1202 rest against the support leg 1204 and the child seat support structure 1206, respectively, and are in their initial configuration, uncompressed. During a vehicle collision, downward rotation of the child occupant, the child safety seat, and the child seat support structure 1206 causes compression of the spring or gas strut 1202. This compression transfers some energy from the moving seat and occupant to the spring or gas strut 1202. Once the downward rotation reaches its peak, the compressed spring or gas strut 1202 begins to release previously stored energy and extends along its original length. As the spring or gas strut 1202 extends, the child seat support structure 1206 can return to its original position.

[0049] According to the sixth embodiment of this disclosure, Figure 13 A perspective view of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system 1300 for use in a child safety seat in a vehicle is shown. Specifically, Figure 13The diagram illustrates a torsional design in which, during a collision, rotation of the support leg 1302 causes the rod or tube 1304 of the support leg energy absorption system 1300 to deform a set of interlocking gear-like components 1306. The rod or tube 1304 may be made of metal and can bend against each gear "tooth" of the interlocking gear-like components 1306 as it rotates through each point. For example, in normal use, the rod or tube 1304 may initially terminate at one of the multiple gear teeth of the interlocking gear-like components 1306. In one embodiment, the multiple gear teeth may be located on selected portions of the outer periphery of the component 1306. During a vehicle collision, downward rotation of the child occupant and safety seat may cause the rod or tube 1304 to rotate counterclockwise from its initial position and engage radially with adjacent gear teeth. That is, this set of interlocking gear-like components 1306 can provide multiple lockable differential torque limiting functions in response to a collision impact. As the impact increases, the rod or tube 1304 continues to rotate due to the impact, and multiple gear teeth can be sheared or fail in sequence, thereby preventing the bearing leg 1302 from breaking before the component 1306 reaches the torque limit.

[0050] According to the seventh embodiment of this disclosure, Figure 14 A perspective view of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system 1400 for use in a vehicle child safety seat is shown. Specifically, Figure 14 The diagram illustrates a translational design where the linear movement of the supporting leg 1402 causes deformation of internal or external components. Figure 1 Similar to the illustrated support leg 102, the support leg 1402 may include a first tubular member 1404 that is telescopically movable relative to the second tubular member 1406, allowing a user to adjust its length while securing the support leg 1402 to the vehicle floor. For example, multiple holes may be provided in the first tubular member 1404 to secure and lock the telescopic tubular members 1404 and 1406 in one of multiple discrete positions. Other suitable adjustment mechanisms may also be employed to extend or retract the support leg 1402 to a desired length. In one embodiment, the support leg 1402 may include multiple nested concentric tubular portions that slide relative to each other to achieve a continuously adjustable length. Each nested concentric tubular portion may be partially or completely exposed or covered by extending or retracting adjacent nested concentric tubular portions. These nested concentric tubular portions may be locked together, for example, by a snap-fit ​​mechanism to maintain the desired position. In another example, the telescopic sliding tubular portions 1404 and 1406 of the supporting leg 1402 may be kept in frictional contact by one or more ribs or O-rings on the sliding surfaces of one or both of the sliding portions 1404 and 1406.

[0051] In some implementations, such as Figure 14As shown, the deformable internal member 1408 is coaxially disposed within the first tubular member 1404 of the support leg 1402, located between the linear motion actuator 1410 and the distal component 1412. During a collision, the impact force may cause the support leg 1402 to move longitudinally. Therefore, the deformable internal member 1408 generates a translational force according to its elastic deformation. That is, due to the linear movement of the support leg 1402, the expansion and compression of the deformable internal member 1408 can generate a translational force, thereby keeping the child safety seat connected to the support leg 1402 in a more upright position.

[0052] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the deformable member may be disposed outside the support leg 1402 and configured to generate a translational force in response to detected linear movement of the support leg 1402. For example, the upper distal end of the deformable member may be connected to the bottom of a shielding member 1414, which is rotatably supported by the support leg 1402 and connected to the support leg 1402 via a rotating shaft or axle.

[0053] According to the eighth embodiment of this disclosure, Figure 15 A perspective view of a load-bearing leg energy absorption system 1500 for use in a child safety seat in a vehicle is shown. Specifically, Figure 15 The diagram shows a translational design in which the linear movement of the supporting leg 1502 compresses the spring 1504. Figure 14 Similar to the deformable internal component 1408, the spring 1504 extends or compresses in response to detected linear movement of the support leg 1502, and generates a translational force according to its elastic deformation to keep the child safety seat connected to the support leg 1502 in a more upright position. In some embodiments, the spring 1504 may be coaxially disposed within the tubular component 1506 of the support leg 1502, between the linear motion actuator 1508 and the distal component 1510.

[0054] In yet another embodiment (not shown), this disclosure may include a translational design in which the linear action of the support leg shears the locking mechanism of the support leg through a series of locking positions.

[0055] Although this disclosure has been described in certain specific aspects, many other modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, any of the various processes described above can be performed in different orders and / or in parallel (on the same or different computing devices) to obtain similar results in a manner more suited to the specific application requirements. Therefore, it should be understood that this disclosure can be practiced in ways different from those specifically described without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Accordingly, embodiments of this disclosure should be considered exemplary rather than limiting in all respects. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that several or all of the embodiments discussed herein can be combined to suit a particular application of this disclosure. In this disclosure, terms such as “advantageous,” “exemplary,” or “preferred” indicate elements or dimensions particularly suitable (but not essential) to this disclosure or embodiments thereof, and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art wherever they deem appropriate, except where expressly required. Therefore, the scope of the invention should not be determined by the illustrated embodiments but by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0056] In describing this disclosure (especially in the following claims), unless otherwise stated or the context expressly objects, the terms “a,” “an,” “the,” and similar designations used shall be construed as encompassing both the singular and the plural. Enumeration of numerical ranges is intended only as a method of abbreviation for individually referring to each specific value falling within that range. Unless otherwise stated, each specific value shall be considered as a separate enumeration and incorporated into the specification. Unless otherwise stated herein or the context expressly objects, all methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order. Any examples or exemplary language provided herein (e.g., “for example”) are intended only to better illustrate this disclosure and do not limit the scope of the other claims of this disclosure. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any unclaimed essential element in the implementation of this disclosure.

[0057] The alternative elements or combinations of embodiments disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting. Each group member may be mentioned and claimed individually, or in any combination with other group members or other elements contained therein. It is foreseeable that one or more group members may be added to or removed for convenience and / or patentability considerations. When any such addition or removal occurs, the specification shall be deemed to include the modified group, thereby satisfying the written description of all Markush groups used in the appended claims.

[0058] This document describes certain embodiments of the present disclosure, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the disclosure. Of course, those skilled in the art, upon reading the above description, should be able to understand various variations of these embodiments. Those skilled in the art should adopt these variations as appropriate. Therefore, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents to the subject matter described in the appended claims, but only to the extent permitted by applicable law. Furthermore, unless the context expressly provides otherwise or clearly contradicts it, this disclosure covers all possible combinations of the foregoing elements and all possible variations thereof.

Claims

1. A system comprising: The load-bearing leg is positioned to abut against the vehicle's floor. A support component configured to engage with a corresponding coupling component of a child safety seat to secure the child safety seat to a selected vehicle seat and to limit displacement between the child safety seat and the vehicle seat in the event of a collision; An energy-absorbing assembly configured to connect the support leg and the support member, and to absorb collision energy during a collision at least by limiting or eliminating the downward movement of the child occupant in the child safety seat.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The support leg includes a first tubular member and a second tubular member, wherein the first tubular member is telescopically movable relative to the second tubular member to adjust the length of the support leg.

3. The system as described in claim 1, wherein, The energy absorption assembly is rotatably connected to the support member via a connector, and rotatably connected to the bearing leg via a connecting member and a first torsion shaft. The connecting member is pivotally fixed to the connector via multiple plates respectively disposed on both sides to support at least the first torsion shaft and the second torsion shaft, the second torsion shaft abutting against the structure of the connector.

4. The system as described in claim 3, wherein, The structure of the joint is configured to restrict the rotational movement of the second torsion shaft during a collision by deforming and shearing the second torsion shaft in response to the amount of torque generated by the second torsion shaft.

5. The system as described in claim 3, wherein, The connecting component is configured to abut against the first torsion shaft so that the energy absorption assembly can absorb energy generated by the deformation and shearing of the second torsion shaft.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein, The energy absorption assembly also includes a locating pin configured to pivotally connect the connecting member and the connector 112 to a distal end to further absorb lateral stress during a collision.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein, The amount of torque generated by the second torsion shaft is a function of the diameter of the second torsion shaft and the torsional yield strength of the material constituting the second torsion shaft.

8. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The plurality of plates includes a pair of sacrificial plates disposed on both sides, each sacrificial plate including a curved slit for slidably receiving a distal end of the second torsion shaft.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein, The curved slit allows the second torsion shaft to remain in an initial, undeformed configuration at one of its distal ends, wherein the diameter of the curved slit is equal to the diameter of the second torsion shaft.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein, The curved slit extends downward and gradually decreases to be narrower than the diameter of the second torsion shaft.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein, During the impact, the load-bearing leg rotates at least the pair of sacrificial plates to bias the second torsion shaft into engagement with the narrower portion of the curved slit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein, The pair of sacrificial plates and the second torsion shaft are made of a material that deforms and fractures to absorb the impact forces applied to the energy absorption assembly during a collision.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein, The curved slit includes a protrusion configured to hold the second torsion shaft in an initial, undeformed configuration at its top distal end, wherein the diameter of the curved slit is equal to the diameter of the second torsion shaft.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein, During the impact, the supporting leg rotates at least the pair of sacrificial plates to move the second torsion shaft, thereby breaking the protrusion and engaging the narrower portion of the curved slit.

15. The system of claim 3, wherein, The joint is constructed of metal or plastic and is configured to bend the second torsion shaft as the load-bearing leg rotates during a collision.

16. The system of claim 3, wherein, The joint is a mesh-like plastic component configured to bend and deform the second torsion shaft as the load-bearing leg rotates during a collision.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein, The mesh structure of the mesh-like plastic component includes at least one of a recessed taut structure, a hexagonal structure, and an AuxHex structure.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a spring or gas strut positioned at two respective distal ends abutting the load-bearing leg and the support member.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein, The spring or gas strut compresses during a collision to transfer some of the collision energy from the child occupant and the child safety seat to the spring or gas strut.

20. The system of claim 3, further comprising a component disposed near the joint and rotatably connected to the second torsion shaft, wherein, The component includes a plurality of gear teeth configured to hold the second torque shaft in one of the plurality of gear teeth.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein, The plurality of gear teeth are implemented on selected portions of the outer periphery of the component.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein, The bearing leg rotates during the collision, causing the second torsion shaft to move in the radial direction and lock into another gear tooth of the component in response to the impact.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein, When the second torsion shaft continues to rotate due to the collision, at least a portion of the teeth of the plurality of gears fail in response to the increased impact force of the collision.

24. The system of claim 2, further comprising a deformable member implemented inside or outside the support leg.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein, The deformable member is coaxially implemented within the support leg and connected at one distal end to a linear motion actuator to detect the linear motion of the support leg caused by a collision.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein, The deformable member is configured to expand or compress to generate a translational force in response to detected linear movement of the support leg, thereby keeping the child safety seat connected to the support leg in an upright position.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein, The deformable component includes a spring.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein, The support leg includes a series of locking positions.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein, At least a portion of the series of locked positions undergoes shearing in response to an increase in the linear motion of the load-bearing leg due to a collision.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein, The system can be removed from the vehicle.

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