LATCH Anchor Detection for Child Restraint Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing airbag systems in vehicles may deploy with excessive force for children in child restraint seats, as weight sensing systems cannot differentiate between a child and the seat, leading to potential injury due to inadequate deactivation.

Innovation Solution

A child restraint seat sensing device is integrated into vehicle passenger seats, utilizing structural elements, stationary anchors, and sensors (such as optical, contact, or proximity sensors) to detect the attachment of child restraint seat connectors to lower and tether anchors, providing outputs to indicate attachment status and preventing airbag deployment when a child is present.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If weight sensing systems are used to automatically deactivate airbags, then airbag deactivation for small occupants is improved, but the system cannot differentiate between a child and a child restraint seat when the combined weight exceeds the threshold

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupant weight measurementVSAvoidairbag deactivation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sensing system is divided into multiple independent sensors: weight sensors for mass detection and LATCH anchor sensors for attachment detection. This segmentation allows the system to gather multiple types of data about the seating configuration, enabling more reliable determination of whether a child is present regardless of weight threshold issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The LATCH anchor sensing system acts as an intermediary mechanism that provides additional information about child restraint usage. By detecting whether the LATCH connectors are attached to the anchors, the system mediates between the weight sensor data and the final airbag control decision, resolving ambiguities when weight alone is insufficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If manual deactivation is required when weight sensing is insufficient, then airbag safety for children is improved, but system complexity and user burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveairbag deployment harm to childrenVSAvoidairbag deactivation operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic airbag deactivation by itself when it detects a child restraint seat attached via LATCH anchors. The sensing device automatically processes the attachment information and triggers airbag deactivation without requiring manual intervention from the parent or caregiver, making the system both safe and easy to operate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors LATCH anchor attachment status and provides feedback to the airbag control system. When a child restraint is detected, the system automatically adjusts airbag deployment status, creating a closed-loop control system that ensures child safety while eliminating the need for manual deactivation steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If LATCH anchor sensing devices are integrated into seat structures, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveLATCH attachment detection accuracyVSAvoidsensing device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The LATCH anchor sensing functionality is merged with the existing seat structural elements. The sensors are integrated into the seat base and backrest structures where LATCH anchors are located, combining the structural support function with the sensing function. This reduces overall system complexity by eliminating separate sensing components and utilizing existing structural elements for dual purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 system effectively determines the use of child restraint seats, preventing unnecessary airbag deployment and ensuring safer conditions for children by accurately detecting the presence of a child restraint seat, thereby reducing the risk of injury.

Implementation Method 1

the sensor is an optical sensor that includes an emitter, a reflector and a receiver, wherein the emitter and the receiver are coupled to a first portion of the structural element and the reflector is coupled to a second portion of the structural element opposing the first portion, and wherein when the child restraint seat connector is attached to the stationary anchor the child restraint seat connector passes between the emitter and the reflector

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical detection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS11634049B2Lower and upper latch anchor use detection sensing device

Publication Date: 2023.04.25 GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

A child restraint seat sensing device for a vehicle including a structural element at least partially defining a volume, wherein the structural element is located in a vehicle passenger seat between a seat base and seat back or is located behind the vehicle passenger seat, a stationary anchor in the vehicle, wherein the stationary anchor is located within the volume defined by the structural element, and a sensor mounted to the structural element, wherein the sensor is configured to detect whether a child restraint seat connector is attached to the stationary anchor.