Infant car seat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional infant car seats have a coupling structure that restricts installation orientation and stability due to a small spring-loaded plunger, requiring two plungers for installation in two orientations and a complex stroller coupling mechanism.
Innovation Solution
An infant car seat with a novel carrier-connecting mechanism featuring a latch, release unit, and resilient member, allowing stable engagement with a seat carrier in two orientations using a single latch, with a larger latching surface and simplified stroller ledge structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a spring-loaded plunger coupling structure is used, then the infant car seat can be connected to the stroller, but the installation is restricted to one orientation and requires two plungers for two orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The latch is designed with an asymmetric structure featuring a latch surface that can engage with a corresponding ledge in multiple orientations. The asymmetric geometry allows the latch to properly engage whether the car seat is installed facing forward or backward, eliminating the need for separate plungers for different orientations while maintaining secure connection in both positions.
2Reliability
If a small plunger is used for coupling, then the stroller structure can be simple, but the stability and security of the connection is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The latch incorporates a curved latch surface that arcs toward the stroller ledge, creating a spherical or rounded engagement interface. This curvature allows the latch to smoothly engage and disengage from the ledge while providing a larger contact area, thereby enhancing connection stability and security without requiring an overly complex mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch is designed as a movable component that can pivot between engaged and disengaged positions. This dynamic capability allows the latch to actively secure the car seat to the stroller with a positive engagement action, providing reliable connection stability through motion rather than relying solely on static small plungers.
3Reliability
If a latch with larger latching surface is used, then the engagement with seat carrier is more stable, but the latch size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latch surface is configured to engage the stroller ledge in multiple dimensional orientations. By utilizing angular and rotational dimensions, the latch achieves a effectively large engagement surface area through its curved geometry that wraps around the ledge, providing stable multi-orientation engagement without requiring a proportionally larger linear latch dimension.
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
Enables secure and versatile installation of the infant car seat on a seat carrier in two orientations with a simplified stroller coupling mechanism, enhancing stability and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
The resilient member is connected between the seat shell and the latch for biasing the latch toward the rest position
Data Source
AI summary
An infant car seat is adapted for being installed on a seat carrier. The infant car seat includes a seat shell, a latch, a release unit, and a resilient member. The seat shell is formed with a receiving space having an opening. The latch is disposed in the receiving space, and is adapted for engaging with a ledge of the seat carrier. The release unit includes an actuating member operable to drive the latch to move from a rest position, where a portion of the latch protrudes out of the opening for engaging with the ledge of the seat carrier, to a retracted position, where the latch is retracted into the receiving space. The resilient member is connected between the seat shell and the latch for biasing the latch toward the rest position.