Fireproof buffering structure, supporting cushion apparatus and safety seat therewith

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional child car safety seat buffering structures, made of foams like EPP, EPS, or EPE, are flammable and compromise impact absorption when replaced with flame-retardant materials, which reduces safety and comfort.

Innovation Solution

A supporting cushion apparatus combining a buffering plate with a fireproof plate, where the fireproof plate has a lower combustion rate and is made of materials like polyethylene, polypropylene, or botanical cotton, attached to the buffering plate to enhance both impact absorption and flame resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional foam materials (EPP, EPS, EPE) are used for buffering structures, then impact absorbing capacity is improved, but flammability increases and combustion rate becomes higher

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpact absorbing capacityVSAvoidflammability and combustion rate
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining foam material (providing impact absorption) with flame-retardant material (providing fire resistance) into a single buffering structure. This composite approach allows the structure to simultaneously achieve both impact absorbing capacity and flame-retardant effect, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If flame-retardant material is used to replace foam in buffering structures, then flammability is reduced, but hardness increases and impact absorbing capacity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflammabilityVSAvoidimpact absorbing capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials to combine the advantages of both foam material (softness and impact absorption) and flame-retardant material (fire resistance). The composite buffering structure maintains the soft, impact-absorbing characteristics of foam while incorporating flame-retardant properties, thus avoiding the hardness issue associated with using pure flame-retardant material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Device complexity

If a single material is used for buffering structure, then device complexity is reduced, but it cannot simultaneously achieve both buffering capacity and flame-retardant effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial composition simplicityVSAvoiddual functionality (buffering and flame resistance)
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite materials to create a buffering structure that integrates multiple functions into a single component. The composite construction allows the structure to provide both buffering capacity and flame-retardant effect simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate buffering and fire-protection components, thus achieving dual functionality without significantly increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Strength

If foam density is increased to improve impact absorption, then buffering capacity is improved, but combustion rate increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebuffering capacityVSAvoidcombustion rate
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials where the flame-retardant component counteracts the increased combustibility that comes with higher foam density. This allows the use of denser foam for improved buffering capacity while the integrated flame-retardant material prevents corresponding increase in combustion rate, thus resolving the contradiction between these two parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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

The combined structure provides effective impact absorption and reduces the overall combustion rate, ensuring safety and comfort by maintaining the buffering capacity while minimizing fire risk.

Implementation Method 1

A combustion rate of the fireproof plate is lower than a combustion rate of the buffering plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlame retardancy:

Implementation Method 2

The foams have good impact absorbing capacity for effective buffering

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact absorption: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP3663127B1Fireproof buffering structure, supporting cushion apparatus and safety seat therewith
Publication Date: 2022.09.07 WONDERLAND SWITZERLAND AG
  • EP3663127B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3663127B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3663127B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present application discloses a fireproof buffering structure (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 40, 50) which includes a buffering plate (411, 421, 431, 441, 451, 461, 471, 481, 491, 401) and a fireproof plate (412, 422, 432, 442, 452, 462, 472, 482, 492, 402) attached thereto. A combustion rate of the fireproof plate (412, 422, 432, 442, 452, 462, 472, 482, 492, 402) is lower than that of the buffering plate (411, 421, 431, 441, 451, 461, 471, 481, 491, 401). In contrast to conventional buffering structures, the fireproof buffering structure (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 40, 50) adopts the combined buffering plate (411, 421, 431, 441, 451, 461, 471, 481, 491, 401) and fireproof plate (412, 422, 432, 442, 452, 462, 472, 482, 492, 402). The buffering plate (411, 421, 431, 441, 451, 461, 471, 481, 491, 401) has good impact absorbing capacity for providing a soft and comfortable seating environment and buffering and protection effects during a crash accident, and the fireproof plate (412, 422, 432, 442, 452, 462, 472, 482, 492, 402) can reduce the combustion rate of the integral structure when catching fire. Therefore, the fireproof buffering structure (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 40, 50) achieves the purposes of safety and comfort. The present application further discloses a supporting cushion apparatus (1) which includes a covering member (11) and the aforementioned fireproof buffering structure (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 40, 50) accommodated therein. The present application further discloses a safety seat (8, 3) which includes the aforementioned fireproof buffering structure (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 40, 50) and the supporting cushion apparatus (1).