Chest Clip Extension Guard Prevents Downward Movement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Standard child safety seats face issues with the chest clip being moved to a downward position, allowing children to free their arms and potentially leading to improper restraint, as 59% of child restraint systems are not tight enough due to incorrect chest clip placement.

Innovation Solution

A child restraint system with a chest clip featuring an adjustable extension guard and buttons integrated into the shoulder straps, ensuring the chest clip remains secured in the correct position by buttoning into strap holes at various levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the chest clip is made movable to adjust position, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates as the child can move it downward to free arms from straps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability of chest clip positionVSAvoidsecurity of restraint system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The chest clip is designed with dynamic adjustability through multiple button holes at different positions on the shoulder straps, allowing the clip to be moved to different heights. This dynamic feature enables proper fitting for children of various sizes while maintaining security through the button-fastening mechanism that prevents unintended movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The button and button hole mechanism serves as an intermediary element between the chest clip and shoulder straps. This intermediary fastening system allows for controlled adjustment while preventing unauthorized movement by the child, thus balancing ease of operation with reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the chest clip is secured firmly to prevent movement, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation worsens due to inability to adjust position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity of restraint systemVSAvoidadjustability of chest clip position

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides dynamic adjustability through multiple button holes positioned at different heights on the shoulder straps. The chest clip can be secured at any of these positions using the button fastening mechanism, allowing both firm security and flexible adjustment for different child sizes and comfort requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The position parameter of the chest clip is made variable through the provision of multiple button holes at different heights. This allows the clip to be positioned at optimal locations for different children, changing the geometric parameter of clip position while maintaining secure fastening through the button mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the chest clip design is simplified without guard and buttons, then device complexity is reduced, but harmful factors increase as child can move clip downward

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure of chest clipVSAvoidrisk of improper restraint

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The extension guard with button fastening mechanism provides preliminary protection against the harmful action of the child moving the chest clip downward. By pre-equipping the clip with this anti-movement feature, the system prevents the harmful effect of improper restraint before it can occur, ensuring the clip remains securely positioned.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The button and extension guard features, which increase structural complexity, convert the potential harm of clip movement into a benefit by providing a secure fastening mechanism. The additional components transform the vulnerability of a simple movable clip into a reliable, child-resistant restraint system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS9840225B2KC chest clip having an extension guard

Publication Date: 2017.12.12 COBB KRISTY L

AI summary

A child restraint harness system includes first and second shoulder straps that have button holes located on the y-axis of the straps and a chest clip device which consists of two separate connectors that join together to form the chest clip device. On each connector, there is an extension guard located on the inferior portion of the chest clip device. Also, on each extension guard, there is a button located inferior to the bottom shoulder strap slot. Once the first and second shoulder straps are threaded through the top shoulder strap slot and then threaded through the bottom shoulder strap slot, the extension guard located on the inferior portion of the chest clip device can be buttoned into the shoulder straps, which secures the chest clip device in the proper position so the child cannot move the chest clip in the downward position. Once the child grows to the next strap level on the safety seat, the chest clip can be unfastened and each extension on the connector can be unbuttoned and moved up to reach the proper placement of the chest clip on the child.