Occupant Impact Shield (OIS)
Introduction
Sinclair Innovation Limited: Occupant Impact Shield (OIS), patent pending.
Our research has shown that normal rear bicycle seats, even those fully compliant with EN 14344 – the European gold standard in rear seats – still have significant faults in everyday cycling accidents. OIS has been specifically developed to address such issues.
The Conker Seat is built around a simple idea: put a hard shell with soft foam between the child and what’s outside the bike and help keep the child within the Conker Safety Zone.
Obstacle Protection and Abrasion
Hard Conker Outer Shell and Closed Cell Foam
In a fall, what the child lands on can hugely affect the type and severity of injury they may suffer. OIS specifies an ABS shell with 20mm of closed-cell lining, so the child is landing on soft foam that is surrounded by a hard outer shell, preventing the child directly hitting a kerb, tree root, parked car, or any other of the multitude of objects you would never wish your child to colliding with.
WARNING: though strong even the Conker Shell has limitations and is NOT guaranteed to resist all impacts and possible scenarios – always ride within your abilities and with caution.
Abrasion Reduction
As well as knocks and falls, a child can receive abrasive injuries from scraping along the road for a metre or two before coming to rest after an accident. This is commonly known as ‘road rash’.
With OIS, these scrapes will scratch the outside of the Conker Shell rather than the child themselves.
Rotation and Twisting in Accidents
Much research has been done regarding head injuries induced by the rotational and twisting action of hitting the ground in a bicycle accident.
Rotational head injuries with current EN14344 seats: the child's head can make contact with the road which may lead to a rotational or other head injuries.
With OIS, the head is better protected with the child's head less likely to touch the road surface, reducing the chance of head, neck and other rotational injuries.
Note: The Conker Seat does not, in any way, replace a bicycle helmet. The child occupant must always wear a certified helmet.
Arm-out Reflex:
Even a one-year-old child will instinctively put an arm out to try to save themselves in a fall. This can happen during a low-speed accident or if the bike simply topples over. Current bike seats do nothing to prevent arm injuries. The new OIS insists on high, wide sides helping to keep arms inside the protective shell, out of harm's way.
Note: even with the Conker Seat an outstretched hand could reach out of the protective area. The Conker Seat only helps reduce the probability of such injuries. Parental care and guidance is required at all times.
Legs and Feet – Keeping Limbs in Place
In the same way that children put their arms out in a fall, legs and feet can also be vulnerable.
All BS EN 14344 compliant seats have foot straps to help keep feet in, but our research has shown that small children will often wriggle their feet out of the straps so our OIS System requires extended lower sides as well as the traditional straps – to help keep legs and feet in their proper place during a fall – inside the safety shell.
However, even with the Conker Seat, a child can potentially stretch a leg out in such a way as to make contact with the ground in the event of an accident. Parental care and guidance is required at all times.
A Helmet is Still Essential
Head injuries: a helmet compliant with UK and EU standards BS EN_1078:2012+A1:2012, should always be worn by the child occupant of the Conker seat.
Neither OIS nor the Conker is in any way a substitute for a helmet. The Conker shell and internal foam will add to the protection that a bicycle helmet will give to a child but it is NOT a substitute for a helmet. Your child must ALWAYS wear a helmet when sitting in the Conker Seat
Visibility – Be Safe, Be Seen
OIS specifies reflectivity levels and bright colours to highlight the bicycle and the fact that you have a child on board - reducing the probability of an accident in the first place; the aim is to give car drivers a very clear visual indicator that they should be more careful when passing and that they should give more space to the bike and its occupants.
Cycling in Inclement Weather
The shell of the Conker provides protection from the worst of the sun, wind and rain too - keeping the weather off your child.
Important Safety Information
Cycling involves risk and the ultimate responsibility for your child rests with you. No child seat can prevent injury or death in every situation. Never ride faster or in a more dangerous style because you feel more confident with the Conker Seat on the bike. Always ensure your child wears a certified helmet at all times when they are in the Conker Seat, and follow the product instructions.
Ride appropriately for conditions and ensure children are supervised at all times.
Specifications and details may change at any time and without further notice
Full instructions are supplied with the Conker Seat, these must be read and followed prior to use of the Seat.
Occupant Impact Shield (OIS)
The Conker Seat is engineered to meet the safety requirements and test methods in the current European child-seat standard EN 14344 (published in the UK as BS EN 14344:2022), and we check the product against those requirements in-house and fulfil them in addition to OIS.