Frontal Crash Protection Performance of Integrated Child Safety Seat

Child Restraint Systems (CRS), when used properly, can effectively avoid or reduce injury for children in motor vehicle crashes. To deal with the problems of the high rate of misuse of the CRS and submarining in frontal crashes when child occupants using traditional vehicle seat belts, a novel integrated child safety seat (ICSS) with a four-point seat belt and a ring-shaped lap belt was developed in this study. It is easy to operate and has lower rate of misuse. To study the protection performance of the newly developed ICSS in frontal crashes, a sled test and a series of simulations were conducted. The frontal impact sled test was conducted according to the European regulation ECE R44, which includes a Q6 anthropomorphic test device (ATD) and the impact velocity is 50 km/h. The simulation model included the ICSS model and the Q6 ATD model was developed in the MADYMO software, and the simulation model was validated by the sled test. Simulation results showed that the injury parameters of Q3, Q6 and Q10ATDs were all within the regulatory limits.