Safety Seat Support Linkage for Reliable Ground Contact Indication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing safety seats lack reliable mechanisms to determine if they are properly supported on a vehicle floor, leading to potential safety risks due to complex and jam-prone ground-contact indication structures.

Innovation Solution

A support device with a contact indication structure comprising a linkage rod, abutting shell, pushing member, and indication member, which switches between hidden and exposed indication information to confirm ground contact, minimizing jamming and ensuring reliable installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a complex ground-contact indication structure is used, then the reliability of ground contact determination is improved, but the device complexity increases and jamming occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveground contact determination reliabilityVSAvoidindication structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The indication structure is segmented into distinct functional components: a pushing member that contacts the support device, a transmission member that converts linear motion to rotational motion, and an indication member that displays the ground contact status. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably while reducing overall structural complexity and preventing jamming through clear functional separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transmission member acts as an intermediary between the pushing member and the indication member. It converts the linear pushing motion into rotational motion, which then drives the indication member to rotate and expose or hide the indication information. This intermediary mechanism ensures reliable ground contact determination while maintaining simple and clear component interactions that prevent jamming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If the indication member is always exposed, then the ground contact status is always visible, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindication information visibilityVSAvoidindication structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The indication member is designed to dynamically change its position based on ground contact status. When the support device contacts the ground, the pushing member moves and rotates the indication member to expose the indication information. When not in contact, the indication member returns to a hidden position. This dynamic behavior ensures information visibility only when necessary, maintaining simplicity while preventing constant exposure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If a simple indication structure is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of ground contact determination decreases due to jamming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindication structure complexityVSAvoidground contact determination reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical linkage systems with a streamlined mechanism consisting of a pushing member, transmission member, and indication member. The transmission member uses a simple rotational connection to convert linear pushing motion into rotational motion of the indication member, eliminating the need for complex linkages while ensuring reliable operation without jamming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4685008A1Support device and safety seat
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 WONDERLAND SWITZERLAND AG
  • EP4685008A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4685008A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4685008A1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

The present application provides a support device with reliable indication information and a safety seat. The support device includes a linkage rod (134), a contact indication structure (133) including an abutting shell (200) and a pushing member (31), an indication member (32) with a first indication information (321) and a transmission member (3) extending between the pushing member (31) and the indication member (32), all movable disposed. The linkage rod (134) and pushing member (31) are located at opposite sides of the linkage rod (134). The first indication information (321) is hidden within the abutting shell (200) when the pushing member (31) is in the first position, and is exposed from the abutting shell (200) when the pushing member (31) is in the second position, the first indication information (321).