Rotating Child Safety Seat Interlock for Safe Release Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing child safety seat systems lack a secure and reliable mechanism to ensure correct orientation and prevent unsafe outcomes during rotation and removal from a motor vehicle seat, particularly when transitioning between in-use positions or attaching to a stroller.
Innovation Solution
A child safety seat system featuring a rotary element with a latch mechanism and interlock system that securely holds the seat in place, allowing rotation for easier positioning or removal, and prevents unintended release during vehicle movement, using hooks and spring-loaded actuating pins to maintain the seat's position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a latch mechanism is provided to securely hold the child safety seat, then the seat can be reliably secured to the base, but the mechanism becomes more complex and may be prone to inadvertent operation
Solution Approach 1:
The interlock means is actuated in advance upon opening the latch to prevent rotation of the rotary element. This preliminary action ensures that once the latch is opened, the system automatically engages the interlock to maintain safety, preventing any unintended rotation or movement of the seat assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlock means acts as an intermediary mechanism between the latch and the rotary element. It mediates the connection by preventing rotation of the rotary element when the latch is opened, providing an additional layer of safety without requiring direct complex interaction between the latch and rotary element components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the child safety seat can be released from the base for attachment to a stroller, then the seat becomes more versatile, but the risk of unintended release during vehicle movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interlock means is activated in advance when the latch is opened, creating a preliminary safety barrier before the seat can be fully removed. This ensures that even if the latch is accidentally opened during vehicle movement, the interlock prevents the rotary element from rotating and the seat from detaching.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically transitions between locked and unlocked states based on latch position. When the latch is closed, the seat is securely held; when opened, the interlock automatically engages to prevent rotation. This dynamic behavior allows versatile removal when needed while maintaining reliability during normal operation.
3Ease of operation
If the rotary element can rotate freely to position the seat for easy loading, then the ease of operation improves, but the risk of the seat being in an incorrect or unsafe orientation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interlock means is actuated in advance upon latch opening to prevent rotation. This ensures that the rotary element can only rotate when the system is in a safe, controlled state, preventing the seat from being positioned in incorrect or unsafe orientations during critical moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlock mechanism provides feedback control by automatically engaging when the latch is opened and preventing rotation. This feedback ensures that the system maintains safe operational states and prevents the rotary element from moving to incorrect positions, while still allowing intentional rotation when properly latched.
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
Ensures safe and secure rotation and removal of the child safety seat, preventing unsafe orientations and inadvertent release, while allowing convenient positioning and extraction, enhancing user safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
using hooks and spring-loaded actuating pins to maintain the seat's position
Implementation Method 2
The rotary element has latches on its upper surface to which the child safety seat affixes
Implementation Method 3
The hooks may comprise a simple right-angled hook that works in conjunction with a vertical abutment or notch on the rotary element
Implementation Method 4
an interlock means actuated upon opening the latch that prevents rotation of the rotary element with respect to the base
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
A child safety seat and base assembly wherein a base is arranged to be secured with respect to a motor vehicle and a seat is arranged to be removably secured is disclosed. The assembly includes: a rotary element rotatably mounted to the base; a seat latch on the rotary element that engages the child safety seat to releasably hold the child safety seat to the base and rotary element; a seat latch actuation assembly for opening or closing the seat latch wherein opening the seat latch releases the child safety seat; and an interlock mechanism actuated upon opening the seat latch that prevents rotation of the rotary element with respect to the base. The seat latch actuation assembly may include a slidably mounted handle, wherein in use, the base blocks access to the handle when the seat is in any position other than one or two side-loading position(s).