Child Seat Belt Buckle With Magnetic Tongue Presence Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing child restraint system buckles face challenges in ensuring easy adult operation while preventing child access, verifying correct tongue insertion, and preventing unintentional child abandonment.
Innovation Solution
A buckle housing with a movable magnet and sensor system that detects the tongue's presence, separated from mechanical components to resist dust and dirt, and communicates via an indicator device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the magnet sensor and mechanical components are integrated in the same compartment, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability decreases due to sensitivity to dust, dirt, and fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The buckle housing is divided into separate compartments: a first compartment housing the magnet sensor and electronics, and a second compartment housing the mechanical components (magnet, spring, tongue). This segmentation isolates sensitive electronic components from harsh environmental conditions while maintaining functional integration through magnetic field interaction across the compartment boundary.
2Reliability
If a tongue presence detection system is added, then the reliability of safety verification is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical tongue presence detection mechanisms with a magnetic field-based detection system. The magnet's position relative to the magnet sensor provides tongue presence information without requiring direct mechanical contact or complex mechanical linkages, thereby improving reliability while minimizing added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field serves as an intermediary between the mechanical tongue component and the electronic detection system. The magnet attached to the tongue mechanically interacts with the spring and release button, while its magnetic field provides non-contact information to the magnet sensor, enabling dual functionality without direct mechanical-electronic coupling.
3Measurement precision
If the magnet is made movable to indicate tongue presence, then the measurement precision of tongue position is improved, but the ease of operation may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The magnet is attached to the tongue such that its movement is automatically driven by the tongue's insertion and removal actions. The spring provides automatic resetting force, causing the magnet to return to its initial position without requiring additional user action. This self-service mechanism maintains ease of operation while providing continuous position information to the sensor.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances safety by ensuring correct tongue insertion detection and reducing child abandonment, with easy manufacturing and assembly, and improved durability against environmental factors.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet (4) arranged within the housing (1) to be movable between a first position (P1) and a second position (P2) thereof, and a magnet sensor (5) arranged in the housing (1) and adapted to detect when the magnet (4) is in the second position (P2)
Implementation Method 2
The spring may be arranged to move the magnet from the first position to the second position by means of spring force when the tongue is placed in the recess
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is related to a buckle housing (1; 1′) for a safety belt in a child safety seat. The buckle housing (1; 1′) comprises a recess (2; 2′) adapted to receive a tongue (3; 3′) of the safety belt, a magnet (4; 4′) 5 arranged within the housing (1; 1′) to be movable between a first position (P1) and a second position (P2) thereof, and a magnet sensor (5; 5′) arranged in the housing (1, 1′) and adapted to detect when the magnet (4, 4′) is in the second position (P2). The invention also relates to a method for indicating the presence of a tongue (3; 3′) in a belt buckle housing (1; 1′).