Child Seat Side Wings With Slotted Energy Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing child safety seats fail to adequately absorb and disperse energy during side impacts, leading to potential severe injuries due to insufficient deceleration and sudden stops, especially when fixed to vehicle seats using conventional methods.

Innovation Solution

A child safety seat equipped with an impact energy absorbing device featuring a sheet with through-going incisions of varying shapes and slopes, integrated into the side wings and headrest, to absorb and disperse energy during side impacts, combined with Isofix connectors for secure vehicle attachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional seat belt fixation methods are used, then the child safety seat can be secured to the vehicle seat, but the securing process becomes cumbersome and may be incorrectly installed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure fixationVSAvoidinstallation process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces Isofix connectors as an intermediary mechanism between the child safety seat and the vehicle seat. These connectors engage with anchors built into the vehicle seat, providing a reliable and standardized interface that eliminates the complexity of traditional seat belt routing while ensuring secure fixation through positive engagement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the child safety seat is rigidly fixed to the vehicle seat, then the relative movement is minimized, but the child safety seat cannot adequately absorb and disperse energy during side impacts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverelative movement controlVSAvoidimpact energy

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the child safety seat structure into rigid and flexible components. The side wings and headrest are designed with energy-absorbing materials and collapsible structures that can deform during side impacts, allowing the seat to absorb and disperse impact energy while the rigid main body remains securely fixed to the vehicle seat through Isofix connectors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs materials and structures with changing mechanical properties under impact conditions. The side wings contain energy-absorbing materials that undergo controlled deformation, changing from a rigid state during normal use to a more compliant state during side impacts, thereby absorbing energy while maintaining positional stability through the fixed connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If energy-absorbing materials are added to the child safety seat, then the impact energy is better absorbed, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact energy absorptionVSAvoidstructure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the energy-absorbing function with the existing side wing and headrest structures. Rather than adding separate energy-absorbing devices, the side wings themselves are constructed with energy-absorbing materials and designed to deform in a controlled manner during side impacts, integrating protection into the structural elements already present in the child safety seat.

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 device effectively reduces the risk of injury by absorbing and dispersing energy, ensuring controlled deceleration and preventing sudden stops during side collisions, while maintaining secure vehicle fixation.

Implementation Method 1

the sheet is provided with a plurality of through-going incisions, a number of through-going incisions alternating between a positive and negative slope or gradient over their length... effectively reduces the risk of injury by absorbing and dispersing energy, ensuring controlled deceleration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnergy absorption through deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP3853066B1Child safety seat with side impact energy absorption

Publication Date: 2025.10.29 HTS HANS TORGERSEN & SOENN AS

Figure 1~4C
Figure 2A
Figure 2B

AI summary

The present invention relates to an impact energy absorbing device for a child safety seat adapted for receiving a child, where the impact energy absorbing device comprises an edge and a sheet, the edge extending over at least a part of a periphery of the sheet, forming a support for the sheet, where the sheet is provided with a plurality of through-going incisions, each through-going incision alternating between a positive and negative gradient over its length. The present invention relates also to a child safety seat comprising a seat body adapted for receiving a child, the seat body comprising a sitting portion, a backrest portion and a head rest portion, where first and second side wings extend over at least a part of the seat body, where the child safety seat further comprises at least one impact energy absorbing device.