Need Help on Research Project

Dreaming_of_Speed · Aug 23, 2005

I am working on a research project for my engineering class on the way car seats work and how they have evolved over the last few decades.

Does anyone have any links depicting old car seats? I have found a few at carseat.org but they are all in .pdf format and i can not make them work in power point? I also need info about why they stopped using metal frames (for some reason this seems to be impossible).

Any one with photos of car seats after a car accident or damage would be nice too.

I could also use a few more sites explaining misuses of car seats and how they affect the car seats integrity.

Thanks a bunch. I've been a lurker here for a long time even though i have no kids and no need to know how to install or use a car seat! You guys are doing a terrific job!

-Ashley

Dreaming_of_Speed · Aug 23, 2005

Research Project Help Please!

Ok i posted this once and it appears to have been "eaten" by the net.

I am in the process of working on a research project for my engineer class. I am making a presentation on how a car seat works, and what methods work best for child protection adn what causes car seats to fail.

I need to find pictures of old car seats (late 80's early 90's preferred), car seats after they have been in an car accident (preferrable with visible damage), children in car seats (the albums of extended rear facing and harnessing on this site are fabuslous by the way) and photos of car seats with no covers showing thier safety features within the shells (i will have 3 car seats during the presentation to show the differences and some safety features but they wont be britaxs and other car seats with *extra* protection.)

Also i have had a hard time finding information on why they no longer use metal in the car seat design, and information on forces of imact and effects on the child in the car seat. Info or footage of seat testings that show how a car seat moves DURING the accident would also be a big help.

You guys have a great site here, i have been a lurker and actually decided to base my project on car seats b/c i knew this site would be a GREAT for helpping me find what i need. Keep up the good work.

Dreaming_of_Speed · Aug 24, 2005

Also i would like some *good* pictures of the infant seat that is supposed to be compatible with air bags by pioneer. I dont know if it is still in production but i think it would be great for the "future" portion of my presentation. There dont seem to be alot of pics of it that show how it differs from other seats of its type.

Also i would like to find pictures of the back of car seats b/c i've found thats where alot of changes really show.

Thanks again.

UlrikeDG · Aug 24, 2005

Your original post was made in the Reviews forum, which is moderated. Since your post wasn't a review, I moved it here when I saw it this morning.

I believe "Momika" put together the Carseat.org PDF pictoral. If you e-mail her, she may be able to send you some of the photos you're looking for. She hangs out on the ParentsPlace.com carseats board.

Dreaming_of_Speed · Aug 24, 2005

opps i thought i put it in this forum sorry. it was late when i posted i was a tad careless.

Thanks i will try parents place i've put messages on loads of other boards too.

I've got most of my research concerning the engineering portion complete i just cant seem to find pictures! Then i just need to find someone i can barrow a infant seat, a convertible and a booster from and i'm done. (the infant seat is easy my nephew just out grew his snugride and i might be able to barrow his britax if i barrow him too)

joolsplus3 · Aug 24, 2005

It's hard to find the airbag-compatible infant seat, because it's off the market. The seat base looked like a huge eggshell and was able to withstand tremendous airbag force, but it was requied by FMVSS 213 to have the same sticker as any other rearfacing seat that it is NOT safe to put in front of a frontal airbag....obviously a stumbling block to effective marketing. The seat itself was incredibly narrow and rarely fit infants more than a couple months old. Check ebay, maybe you'll find a seller with good pictures or a brochure?

This is a good starter article on car seat history... http://www.pregnancy-place.com/The_History_of_Car_Seats_The_Ride_That_Saves_Lives.html

And this is a good article... http://www.aaa.asn.au/issinfo/crs_effectiveness_13pg.pdf

And www.saferidenews.com has some good info.

j4m4d8 · Aug 24, 2005

There's a bunch of pictures at www.kids-in-the-car.org under the My Photo Gallery link on the left. It has pictures of the Xportation Pioneered, the infant car seat that could be placed in front of an air bag.
HTH,
Julie

Unregistered · Aug 24, 2005

Julie:

I have never seen this gallery before of yours! How wonderful and informative.

First off, your girls are precious and such patient subjects. Second, the newborns ones are classic...happy one moment, screaming the next.

Thanks so much! I am bookmarking this!

shellebelle · Aug 24, 2005

I have a Fisher-Price Safe Embrace seat (pictured below) that I can snap pictures of if it helps. It does have steel tubing. However, there's nothing really that exciting going on structure-wise. I would suggest picking up a Cosco Touriva (about $40). It's a convertible seat that would be a great example for your presentation, but it's a budget seat and you can really see how it works. If funds are an issue, you can get it at Toys R Us and then return it. Just don't cut any tags off of the seat.

kifmBaby_EquipmentCar_SeatsAllFisher_Price_Safe_Embrace_II-resized200.jpg

A good thing to note is the prominent "bulge" just below the top set of harness slots (on the back). This is where the extra structure is to support the load of a forward facing child. Have you seen this? http://www.carseat.org/Technical/brokencs.htm

This is pure speculation, but I suppose that advances in materials and engineering practices have allowed us to mold plastic into capsules that are plenty strong. There may be some steel reinforcement in some seats, it just might be buried. It's hard to tell. Anyway, as we know, plastic is cheaper and can be worked into pretty much any shape. It's also lighter. This makes for a cheaper car seat that is even safer than the old one because of improved safety standards.

You will also find this useful as to the fundamental purpose of seat belts and car seats: http://www.babytrend.com/physics101 2/Physics101.htm

If you need an illustration of the different harness types, let me know. I produced a brochure for a class detailing proper use of car seats and had to come up with some of my own artwork (I'm a graphic design student).

KeikiHula · Aug 24, 2005

I'm not sure if all Britax seats have it, but the Wizard has metal bars on the sides, sort of like the FPSE. The LATCH conectors are attatched to the metal frame.

Dreaming_of_Speed · Aug 24, 2005

thanks for the links they are GREAT!

I noticed some britax car seats do have some metal bars on them but not like the older car seats that were surrounded in metal. I dont believe there is steel tubeing withing the newer car seat frames thought i do have a evenflo discovery i was given i may *break* to look for any sort of metal sheeting or flat portions.

I have seen the picture of the broken car seat from ff in the wrong slots thats what made me think of the pics of broken car seats and what caused thier failure i know i've seen a picture of a infant seat base that teh latch connecters broke on but i cant find it.

I actually decided to go to some second hand stores and buy thier seats. Obviously i wont be using them so thier history doesnt matter and they will be cheap. On a side note i stopped by the local goodwill to see if they had any seats, turns out they have changed thier policy and no longer carry used car seats b/c of the risk.

If you guys can think of anyelse that may be helpful for the project speak up i'm open to ideas and i would love the help from ppl who really know the subject. And i may be required to do an interview (professor hasnt decided) anyone what to be my interviewee as a licensed (or cerified) CPSTech?

joolsplus3 · Aug 24, 2005

I think the breaking seat you saw was the Combi Avatar on Consumer Reports this year...they do car seat reviews just about every year and complain about some little problem with something all the time (but in a good way...)

And for watching heaps of crash tests, you can't beat the review years 2001 and 2002 on this site.. we have/had some of those seats in the US, even http://216.239.39.104/translate_c?h...sitze&hl=en&lr=&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-30,GGLG:en (probably won't help you much, but it's fun, lol)

seatchecker · Aug 24, 2005

I have a Pioneer Airbag compatible seat here at the house if you need pictures from a different angle. The local thrift store/Goodwill is a great place to go for used seats of all ages and types (my Goodwill unfortunately still carries them - I think it is a regional thing as to whethere they do or not). I get them there sometimes as little as $5, then come home and dismantle them.

If you have new/current seats you can borrow, that would probably be best. I know personally I am a little distraught when I buy a seat and get home only to find it has been purchased and returned. Not that yours would be damaged in any way when you returned it, but there is always that "what if" feeling.

Good luck with your research! I am taking a research course this fall (next week!) for my nursing degree, and plan to do some research on a carseat related topic.

j4m4d8 · Aug 24, 2005

Just to clear up any misunderstanding, it is not my car seat site. I just included which link to click on. It is a nice site, and the only one I remember seeing that rear-facing seat on.
Julie

carlsoc2 · Aug 24, 2005

Actually...

the kids-in-the-car.org site is mine. I've been modeling my youngest (the baby in the photos) in various seats as she grows since often there are questions about fit for newborns in convertible seats and how long infants will fit in various infant only seats. Also, it is hard to find pictures of some of the more "unusual" seats like the Pioneered with kids in them taken from a tech's point of view (harness strap slot heights, etc). I have puney kids (25th percentile) so they aren't really an indication of "average" fit but give some means of comparison for others when considering seats. It'll be time to do a photo shoot in the Pioneered with the baby again in a few weeks.

If anyone has questions about any of the stuff from my site, feel free to email me. I don't think I've gotten around to putting my email link on my site yet. With 3 kids under 5 years old a lot of things get put off...

bazanna · Aug 24, 2005

http://www.carseat.org/Technical/brokencs.htm

Victorious4 · Aug 25, 2005

That picture is so horrifying!

Especially since I'd turned my DD FF too soon (convertible wouldn't fit RF properly & I had no idea about a local CPS tech *SIGH*)

Thankfully, I found this site & a local CPS tech, got a compatible convertible in RF before our accident

KeikiHula · Aug 25, 2005

I got kinda choked up looking at that pic. I put Morgan FF'ing at 20 lbs b/c I thought you were supposed to. ~shudder~

Unregistered · Aug 25, 2005

Oh, I'm the one that commented on the site! Sorry about not giving proper credit

I have a random question, though. Do you really own all those carseats? I think that's like a carseat lover's dream (such as myself) to be able to own all those seats, haha.

Dreaming_of_Speed · Aug 26, 2005

seatchecker said:
I know personally I am a little distraught when I buy a seat and get home only to find it has been purchased and returned. Not that yours would be damaged in any way when you returned it, but there is always that "what if" feeling.

I wouldnt buy 1 at BRU and take it back anyway it just seems rude to buy it with the intention to return it even thought there is nothing wrong with it.

If i bought a seat and found out it was returned i would return it and get 1 that has never been opened just b/c i dont deal well with "what ifs" I didnt realize a store could resell a seat once it had been returned.

I cant afford to go but a car seat from BRU even if i wanted to anyway. The joy of being a freshmen in college i have 5 dollars in dollar bills in my purse, and i think 3 nickels in my couch, and an emergency credit card that my dad gave me. i can get away with using the credit card for small things (like the carseats from good will) but i think he'd freak if i used it for 200 bucks at babiesrus, even if i returned it.

The sites are great. Thanks a bunch. I love the galleries they are really useful for comparison pictures.

Need Help on Research Project

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus

Senior Community Member

Admin - CPS Technician

New member

Unregistered

Guest

Senior Community Member

New member

Senior Community Member

Admin - CPS Technician

Senior Community Member

New member

CPS Technician

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

New member

Unregistered

Guest

Senior Community Member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics