Inflatable Safety Elements in Child Harness Sheaths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing childcare devices, such as car seats, struggle to effectively prevent a child's head from moving excessively during an impact due to the limitations of current inflatable safety solutions, including large frontal cushions and distributed airbags that fail to maintain their position upon deployment.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of reversible securing means that attach inflatable safety elements to each other and the shoulder straps, ensuring they remain in place during deployment, thereby limiting the child's head movement and reducing the size and deployment time of the airbags.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large frontal cushion is used to protect the child, then the protection coverage is improved, but the inflation time becomes long and the child's head moves too far before protection is achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single large frontal cushion into multiple smaller inflatable elements distributed across different zones of the seat (frontal zone, lateral zones, rear zone). Each element inflates independently and simultaneously, providing comprehensive protection without requiring a single large cushion that would take longer to inflate. This segmentation allows faster response time while maintaining adequate protection coverage.
2Reliability
If several inflatable elements are distributed in several zones of the seat, then the protection coverage is improved, but the elements move apart during impact and fail to prevent head movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent connects multiple inflatable elements together through connection means (such as straps, links, or integrated structures) that maintain their relative positions during impact. These connection means ensure that when the elements inflate, they work together as a coordinated system rather than moving apart, effectively preventing the child's head from moving between gaps. The harnessed elements are positioned to work in unison, with connection means that may include adjustable straps or integrated structural links.
3Loss of time
If inflatable elements are positioned close to the child's head, then the response time is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to positioning requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the positioning and securing functions into the existing harness structure of the child seat. The connection means that secure the inflatable elements are incorporated into the harness straps and buckles that are already required for securing the child. This multi-functional approach allows the harness to simultaneously secure the child and position the inflatable elements correctly, reducing overall device complexity while achieving rapid deployment positioning.
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
This approach enhances safety by maintaining the inflatable elements' position, reducing the child's head displacement, and simplifying implementation, while ensuring effective protection regardless of the child's size.
Implementation Method 1
two inflatable safety elements (141, 142), each mounted respectively on one of the shoulder straps (121, 122) of said harness, in particular in sheaths (131, 132) fitted to these shoulder straps, and secured together, in a detachable manner, by securing means (15) provided for this purpose, at or near said shoulder straps
Data Source
Figure 1~2B
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Figure 6~8
AI summary
The invention relates to a childcare device suitable for a child, comprising a harness (12) having two shoulder straps (121, 122) designed to extend from the shoulders along the child's torso, each carrying a sleeve (131, 132) that slides along the shoulder strap. An inflatable safety element (141, 142), capable of inflating in the event of an impact exceeding a predetermined threshold, is housed in each of said sleeves (131, 132), and reversible fastening means (15) ensure a connection between these inflatable elements, either directly or via the shoulder straps and/or the sleeves to which they are attached.