Child Safety Seat Base With Sliding Sled and Locking Incline Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Child safety seats in vehicles fail to adequately mitigate the impact forces experienced during sudden vehicle stops, posing a risk to children's safety.
Innovation Solution
A child safety seat design featuring a seat base with a sled assembly and slide channels that allows for adjustable incline orientation, coupled with a locking mechanism to control sliding movement and incline adjustments, and an energy absorber system to dissipate impact forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the sled assembly is made slidable to allow incline adjustment, then the adaptability and comfort are improved, but the stability and safety are worsened due to potential unintended movement
Solution Approach 1:
The sled assembly is designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing the seat incline to be changed from a fixed position to multiple adjustable positions. The slide channels enable controlled movement along the slide axis, transforming the static seat structure into a dynamic one that can adapt to different comfort requirements while maintaining safety through the locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism acts as an intermediary between the movable sled assembly and the fixed base portion. It provides a mediating function by allowing the sled to move when adjustment is needed, then securely locking it in place when adjustment is complete, thus resolving the conflict between mobility and stability.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to control sled movement, then the seat stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the interaction between the locking pin and the cam surface. When the sled assembly is moved along the slide channels, the cam surface automatically engages the locking pin to lock the sled in place, or allows it to unlock when a specific position is reached, reducing the need for complex external control systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple locking holes are provided for different incline angles, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous slide channel is segmented into discrete locking positions by providing multiple locking holes at specific intervals. This segmentation allows the sled assembly to be locked at predetermined incline angles, offering adaptability while simplifying manufacturing compared to a fully continuous adjustment system. The locking holes are positioned to provide adequate angular separation between adjustment positions.
Data Source
AI summary
A seat base includes a base portion, slide channels, a sled coupled to the base portion via the slide channels, and a lock extendable between the base portion and the sled. The sled is slidable relative to the base portion along a slide axis defined by the slide channels, and includes a latch that releasably attaches a seat body to the sled. The lock selectively controls sliding movement of the sled relative to the base portion. The channels effect a change in an incline orientation of the seat body relative to the seat base as the sled slides relative to the base portion. The lock includes pin(s) movable along an axis transverse to the slide axis, between (i) an extended position that restricts the sliding movement and the change in the incline orientation, and (ii) a retracted position that allows the sliding movement and the change in the incline orientation.