Neck bracket design for anthropomorphic test device in multiple reclined seating postures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12174087-B2
Application number	US-201917276648-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2019
Priority date	Sep 21, 2018
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

An anthropomorphic test device includes a spine assembly defining a spinal axis; a neck assembly coupled to a head assembly; and a neck bracket assembly coupling the neck assembly to the spine assembly. The neck bracket assembly has a base secured to the spine assembly with a base plane transverse to the spinal axis and a mount secured to the neck assembly and coupled to the base with the spinal axis passing through said mount. A pivot mechanism is secured to the base and mount with the neck and head assemblies pivoting relative to the base and spine assembly in a plurality of head positions. The mount has upper and lower surfaces angled to each other with one of the upper and lower surfaces being positioned at an angle relative to the base plane in all of the plurality of head positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An anthropomorphic test device comprising:
a spine assembly with a length of said spine assembly defining a spinal axis;
a neck assembly having a lower mounting plate coupled to said spine assembly at one end;
a head assembly coupled to said neck assembly at another end of said neck assembly; and
a neck bracket assembly coupling said neck assembly to said spine assembly, said neck bracket assembly comprising:
a base secured to said spine assembly with said base defining a base plane transverse to said spinal axis,
a mount secured to said neck assembly and coupled to said base with said spinal axis passing through said mount, and
a pivot mechanism having a first portion secured to said base and a second portion secured to said mount with said neck and head assemblies pivoting relative to said base and said spine assembly in a plurality of head positions,
wherein said mount has an upper surface and a lower surface with said upper surface of said mount angled relative to said lower surface of said mount to define a wedge-shaped configuration with one of said upper and lower surfaces of said mount being positioned at an angle relative to said base plane in all of said plurality of head positions, and
wherein said upper surface of said wedge-shaped mount is mounted directly to said lower mounting plate of said neck assembly, and said upper and lower surfaces of said wedge-shaped mount pivoting with said neck and head assemblies as a unit relative to said base in said plurality of head positions.

2. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 1 , wherein said lower surface of said mount defines a first plane and wherein said upper surface of said mount defines a second plane with said first plane angled with respect to said second plane at an angle α ranging between 10 and 45 degrees.

3. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 1 , wherein said pivot mechanism includes a lock to secure said neck and head assemblies in one of said plurality of head positions.

4. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 1 , wherein said mount comprises:
a first bracket coupled to said base and secured to said pivot mechanism; and
a second bracket secured to said first bracket and having an upper surface angled relative to an opposing lower surface, with said upper surface of said second bracket further defining said upper surface of said mount, and with said upper surface and said opposing lower surface of said second bracket further defining said wedge-shaped configuration.

5. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 4 , wherein said second bracket is secured to said first bracket in one of at least two securing positions relative to said first bracket,
wherein said second bracket is positioned closer to a proximal end of the first bracket in a first one of said at least two securing positions than in a second one of said at least two securing positions.

6. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 1 , further including a second pivot mechanism disposed between said head and neck assemblies to pivot said head assembly relative to said neck assembly independently of pivoting to said plurality of head positions.

7. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 1 , wherein said neck assembly defines a neck axis passing through said mount with both said spinal and neck axes defining a radius of curvature.

8. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 7 , wherein said radius of curvatures extend in opposite directions.

9. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 1 , wherein said pivot mechanism includes a pair of spaced apart flange members secured on and extending from said base portion opposite said spine assembly and a transverse extending member extending from said mount, with said transverse extending member positioned between said pair of flange members, and with a pin extending through said transverse extending member for rotatably coupling said mount relative to said base.

10. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 9 , wherein said pivot mechanism includes a plurality of teeth defining discreet head positions of said neck and head assemblies relative to said base.

11. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 10 , wherein said pivot mechanism further comprises:
a pair of disks coupled between one of said pair of flange members and said transverse extending member with said pair of disks having said plurality of teeth.

12. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 1 , wherein said pivot mechanism includes openings which are respectively aligned when said mount is pivoted relative to said base to a desired one of said plurality of head positions relative to said base, and
wherein a fastening member is introduced within said aligned openings to define a lock and to fixedly secure said mount to said base in said desired one of said plurality of head positions.

13. The anthropomorphic test device of claim 1 further comprising a second pivot mechanism coupled between said head assembly and said neck assembly, with said second pivot mechanism configured to pivot said head assembly relative to said neck assembly.

14. A method of positioning neck and head assemblies of an anthropomorphic test device, the anthropomorphic test device including the head assembly, the neck assembly, a spine assembly with a length of the spinal assembly defining a spinal axis and with the neck assembly coupled to the spine assembly at one end of the neck assembly and the head assembly coupled to the neck assembly at the other end of the neck assembly, the spine assembly defining a spinal plane and a neck bracket assembly coupling the neck assembly to the spine assembly with the neck bracket assembly including a base secured to the spine assembly with the base defining a base plane transverse to the spinal axis, a mount secured to the neck assembly and coupled to the base with the spinal axis passing through the mount, a pivot mechanism having a first portion secured to the base and a second portion secured to the mount, wherein the mount has an upper surface and a lower surface with the upper surface of the mount angled relative to the lower surface of the mount to define a wedge-shaped configuration,
said method comprising the steps of:
positioning the anthropomorphic test device with the spinal plane angled at an initial spinal angle relative to a vertical plane and with the head and neck assemblies positioned in a desired one of a plurality of head positions relative to the vertical plane; wherein the mount is positioned at an initial mounting angle relative to a base plane with at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the mount angled relative to the base plane;
repositioning the anthropomorphic test device such that the spinal plane angle increases from the initial spinal angle to a repositioned spinal angle relative to the vertical plane; and
pivoting the mount relative to the base to adjust the mounting angle from the initial mounting angle to a second mounting angle to maintain the neck and head assembly of the repositioned anthropomorphic test device in the desired one of the plurality of head positions relative to the vertical plane at the repositioned spinal angle while maintaining the anthropomorphic test device at the repositioned spinal angle and with at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the mount angled relative to the base plane.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising securing the mount to the base with the angle of the mount relative to the base plane at the second angle.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the initial spinal angle is 23 degrees relative to the vertical plane, an

Assignees

• Humanetics Innovative Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Wang Zhenwen J
• Mcinnis Joseph P

Classifications

• G09B23/32

  with moving parts · CPC title

• G09B23/34

  with removable parts · CPC title

• G09B23/30

  Anatomical models {(G09B23/281 - G09B23/288 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01M17/0078 Primary

  Shock-testing of vehicles · CPC title

• G01M17/007 Primary

  Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles (G01M17/08 takes precedence) · CPC title