Child Safety Carrier Base with Energy Absorbing Latch

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing child safety seat bases often have inconvenient adjustment mechanisms and fail to effectively absorb crash collision energy, potentially causing injury to the child.

Innovation Solution

A child safety carrier base with a movable platform and a latch mechanism that includes cushion structures to absorb collision energy, allowing for easy adjustment and safer positioning of the child seat.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the adjustment mechanism is designed to firmly hold the child seat in position, then the locking reliability is improved, but the energy from crash collision is transmitted to the child seat causing injury

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking reliabilityVSAvoidcrash collision energy transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates energy-absorbing elements (such as deformable plastic components or cushioning structures) into the adjustment mechanism that are designed to deform or break under crash collision forces. This beforehand cushioning allows the mechanism to maintain firm locking during normal use while automatically absorbing impact energy during crashes, preventing full transmission of collision energy to the child seat.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Ease of operation

If the adjustment mechanism is designed for easy operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the locking firmness may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment convenienceVSAvoidlocking firmness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment mechanism is divided into separate functional components: an easy-to-operate actuating part (such as a button, lever, or slide mechanism) that user controls, and a separate locking part that engages with the shell body. This segmentation allows the user interface to be simple and convenient while the locking engagement structure maintains firmness through positive mechanical engagement, solving the contradiction between ease of operation and locking reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If a movable platform is added to allow recline adjustment, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecline adjustment capabilityVSAvoidbase structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The movable platform is integrated with the existing adjustment mechanism to create a multi-functional system. The same latch mechanism that provides recline adjustment also works with the cushioning elements for crash protection, and may simultaneously provide positioning at multiple angles. This universality allows the base structure to achieve multiple functions (adjustment, locking, energy absorption) without proportionally increasing complexity, as shared components serve multiple purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 solution provides a convenient and safe adjustment mechanism that reduces the risk of injury by absorbing collision energy, ensuring the child seat is securely positioned and protected during crashes.

Implementation Method 1

the latch can interact with one of the cushion structures to cause deformation or break of the cushion structure so that the platform is displaced relative to the shell body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnergy absorption through deformation: Deformation

Implementation Method 2

the latch can interact with one of the cushion structures to cause deformation or break of the cushion structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnergy absorption through fracture: Fracture Mechanics

Data Source

PatentEP2692574B1Base for child safety carrier
Publication Date: 2019.06.12 WONDERLAND SWITZERLAND AG
  • EP2692574B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2692574B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2692574B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A base suitable for use with a child safety carrier includes a shell body, a platform movably assembled with the shell body, a latch mechanism and a plurality of cushion structures. The latch mechanism includes a holding frame and a latch, the holding frame being affixed with one of the shell body and the platform, and the latch being assembled with the other one of the shell body and the platform. The holding frame includes locking openings, and the latch is operable to engage with any of the locking openings to lock the platform with the shell body. The cushion structures are respectively disposed adjacent to the locking openings. When collision occurs, the latch can interact with one of the cushion structures to cause deformation or break of the cushion structure so that the platform is displaced relative to the shell body.