Design and validation of a child seat pretensor device

Abstract

MAPFRE foundation and others have reported that every year around 6,500 children in Latin America in traffic accidents result in death [1]. The accident data related to infant deaths that do not carry a child restraint system that offers the protection levels as evidenced by the current safety devices are alarming. Although current child restraints systems have a good level of protection it is possible to design others that improve the performance of the current ones, being the improvement of child safety the main motivation for this study. This study is divided into two phases: the first one corresponds to the design of a pretensioner prototype which is attached to a baby chair holder and the second stage shows the operation of this device with simulated crash tests in vehicle forward facing direction. In the experimental phase is found that this device is able to decrease the forward excursion of the head, the neck efforts supported, the head and chest acceleration levels during a collision. Moreover, the results show the increased levels of protection offered to children, as well as the improved retention capacity for a chair restraint system equipped with the pretensioner developed in this work.