Apparatus and method for interconnecting a child seat and monitoring system

An electrical connector configured to provide an electrical connection between a carrier portion and a base portion of a child seat having at least one sensor disposed in the carrier portion and an electronic control unit located within the base portion, wherein the electronic control unit provides a visual display on a surface of the electronic control unit, the electrical connector comprising:

• a first contact member secured to either the base portion or the carrier portion, the first contact member having a plurality of contact surfaces;
• and
• a second contact member secured to either the base portion or the carrier portion, the second contact member having a plurality of spring biased contacts movably secured to the second contact member, wherein the plurality of contact surfaces of the first contact member are configured to make contact with the plurality of spring biased contacts when the carrier portion is secured to the base portion.

A method for providing an electrical connection between a carrier portion and a base portion of a child seat having an electronic control unit configured to receive a plurality of signals from a plurality of sensors located in the carrier portion and the base portion, the method comprising:

• securing a first contact member to either the base portion or the carrier portion, the first contact member having a plurality of contact surfaces;
• securing a second contact member to either the base portion or the carrier portion, the second contact member having a plurality of spring biased contacts movably secured to the second contact member, wherein the plurality of contact surfaces of the first contact member are configured to make contact with the plurality of spring biased contacts when the carrier portion is secured to the base portion, wherein the second contact member further comprises a plurality of springs disposed in a housing of the second contact member wherein each of the plurality of springs are configured to make electrical contact with a respective one of the plurality of spring biased contacts, wherein each of the plurality of springs also provides a biasing force to a respective one of the plurality of spring biased contacts and the electrical connector is configured to provide tolerances in three separate directions.