Vehicle Head and Neck Stabilizer for Sleeping Children
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing retention elements for vehicles, such as three-point belts and child seats, often fail to adequately stabilize the head and neck area of children, leading to potential overstraining of neck muscles or injuries when children fall asleep during vehicle travel.
Innovation Solution
A retention element with a belt tape that extends from a ponder to a bearing end, featuring a first connecting element to attach to a three-point belt and a second connecting element to secure to a fixed point in the vehicle, allowing for adjustable length and various fastening options to stabilize the head and neck area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a three-point belt is used to secure a child in a vehicle seat, then the child's body is restrained, but the head and neck area are not stabilized, leading to potential overstraining or injuries when the child falls asleep
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system is divided into two separate components: a three-point belt for body restraint and an additional head-stabilizing restraint element. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, with the three-point belt securing the body and the additional element stabilizing the head and neck area without interfering with each other's operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint element acts as an intermediary component between the three-point belt and the vehicle structure. It connects to the three-point belt at one end and to a fixed point in the vehicle at the other end, creating a stabilizing connection that prevents head movement without requiring direct attachment to the child's head or neck.
2Reliability
If a rigid body corset restraint element is used for small children, then the child's body is secured, but the child's freedom of movement is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint element uses a flexible belt strap instead of a rigid corset structure. This flexible design allows the restraint to adapt to the child's body movements and posture changes while maintaining stabilizing function, providing comfort and freedom of movement compared to rigid structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint system incorporates adjustable and detachable connecting elements that allow the restraint to adapt dynamically to different children and usage situations. The belt length and connection points can be adjusted to match the child's size and the vehicle configuration, enabling the restraint to move with the child rather than restricting movement.
3Reliability
If a headband is used to secure a child's head, then the head position is stabilized, but the child's freedom of movement is severely restricted and an additional person is required for application
Solution Approach 1:
The head-stabilizing function is extracted from direct head contact (like a headband) and implemented through an external restraint element that connects to the vehicle structure. This indirect approach stabilizes the head position without requiring direct manipulation of the child's head or face, eliminating the need for additional persons during application and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint element is designed to be easily attached and detached by a single person using simple connecting elements that can be quickly secured and released. The system serves itself by using the existing three-point belt and vehicle structure as anchor points, eliminating the need for additional persons to assist with application or removal.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the belt strap is made adjustable in length, then it can accommodate different children and vehicle configurations, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The belt strap incorporates adjustable length features that allow it to dynamically adapt to different children and vehicle configurations. The adjustment mechanism enables the restraint to be configured for various sizes and positions without requiring multiple different restraint elements, simplifying the overall system while maintaining versatility.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Restraint devices are known in the art that stabilize the seating position of persons in vehicles by being designed as a corset that encloses the entire torso. However, this solution requires a custom-made restraint device. The invention is not applicable to all age groups, but only to small children. Furthermore, this solution severely restricts freedom of movement. The present invention overcomes this by attaching the restraint device to a three-point seat belt and to a fixed point in the car, thereby stabilizing the head and neck area of the person while seated in a vehicle. The length of the restraint device can also be adjusted using several alternative connecting elements. Thus, the invention is suitable for different age groups.