Lumbar spine stretch limiter assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12230163-B2
Application number	US-202117148055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2021
Priority date	Jan 14, 2020
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A lumbar spine stretch limiter assembly for an anthropomorphic test device functions to limit the ultimate stretching of an elastic lumbar spine member during crash test simulations such as far side impact crash simulations. The lumbar spine stretch limiter assembly includes a belt assembly including one or more belts coupled to the thoracic spine and sacrum and disposed between the elastic lumbar spine member and a lumbar mounting wedge. During far side impact crash simulations, a portion of the belt assembly is brought into contact with the stretching elastic lumbar spine member to prevent further elongation of the lumbar spine member beyond a maximum allowable limit corresponding to a natural response of the lumbar spine region of a human to improve reproducibility of head excursion data and to prevent or minimize damage to the elastic lumbar spine member during far side impact crash simulations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A crash test dummy comprising:
a lumbar mounting bracket defining a central axis,
a lumbar spine member attached to said lumbar mounting bracket with said lumbar spine member formed from an elastomeric material,
a pair of lumbar clamping plates coupled on opposing sides of said lumbar spine member relative to said central axis; and
a belt system mounted to both of said pair of lumbar clamping plates for limiting a stretching movement of said lumbar spine member relative to said central axis and relative to said lumbar mounting bracket during a crash simulation.

2. The crash test dummy according to claim 1 , wherein said belt system is at least partially spaced from said lumbar spine member so as to define a flexing gap for permitting movement of said lumbar spine member relative to said central axis.

3. The crash test dummy according to claim 1 , wherein said belt system comprises a pair of belts each including an intermediate portion extending between a first end and a second end with each of said second ends respectively mounted to a corresponding one of said pair of lumbar clamping plates,
wherein said intermediate portion of each one of said pair of belts is spaced from said lumbar spine member so as to define a flexing gap between said intermediate portion of each one of said pair of belts and said lumbar spine member.

4. The crash test dummy according to claim 3 , wherein said lumbar spine member comprises:
a base region positioned along said central axis;
a pair of outer legs extending outwardly away from opposing sides of the base region relative to said central axis, with a terminal end of each of said pair of outer legs coupled to a respective one of said pair of lumbar clamping plates; and
a pair of inner legs extending from said base region in a direction towards said lumbar mounting bracket, with said pair of inner legs disposed within said pair of outer legs on opposing sides of said central axis.

5. The crash test dummy according to claim 4 , wherein a length of said intermediate portion of each of said pair of belts is greater than a length L 1 of each one of said pair of outer legs.

6. The crash test dummy according to claim 3 further comprising:
a lumbar mounting wedge coupled to said lumbar spine member;
a pair of spaced apart supporting plates coupled to opposing sides of said lumbar mounting wedge; and
a coupling bracket disposed on said lumbar spine member, said coupling bracket having a central base region and a pair of spaced apart finger flanges extending transverse from said central base region, with each one of said pair of spaced apart finger flanges coupled to a respective one of said pair of spaced apart supporting plates such that said respective one of said pair of supporting plates is disposed between said lumbar mounting wedge and said respective one of said pair of spaced apart finger flanges,
wherein said first end of a respective one of said pair of belts is coupled to a respective one of said pair of spaced apart finger flanges and wherein said first end of said respective other one of said pair of belts is coupled to a respective other one of said pair of spaced apart finger flanges.

7. The crash test dummy according to claim 6 further comprising:
a base clamping plate coupled to lumbar spine member such that said lumbar spine member is disposed between said coupling bracket and said base clamping plate; and
one or more fasteners for securing said lumbar spine member to each of said coupling bracket and said base clamping plate.

8. The crash test dummy according to claim 6 , wherein each one of said pair of belts includes an intermediate portion extending between a first looped end and a second looped end, with each of said first and second looped ends defining an opening,
wherein a respective one of said pair of spaced apart finger flanges is inserted within said opening of said first looped end of a corresponding respective one of said pair of belts, and
wherein a respective one of said pair of lumbar clamping plates is inserted within said opening of said second looped end of a corresponding respective one of said pair of belts.

9. The crash test dummy according to claim 1 , wherein said belt system comprises a single belt including an intermediate portion extending between a first end and a second end with each of said first and second ends respectively mounted to a corresponding one of said pair of lumbar clamping plates,
wherein said intermediate portion of said belt is spaced from said lumbar spine member so as to define a flexing gap between said intermediate portion and said lumbar spine member.

10. The crash test dummy according to claim 9 , wherein said single belt includes a central portion extending between a first end and a second end, and
wherein said intermediate portion comprises a pair of intermediate portions, with a first one of said pair of intermediate portions extending between said central portion and said first end and with a second one of said pair of intermediate portions extending between said central portion and said second end.

11. The crash test dummy according to claim 9 , wherein said first end of said belt comprises a first looped end and wherein said second end of said belt comprises a second looped end, with each of said first and second looped ends defining an opening,
wherein a respective one of said pair of lumbar clamping plates is inserted within said opening of said first looped end and a respective other one of said pair of lumbar clamping plates is inserted within said opening of said second looped end.

12. The crash test dummy according to claim 9 further comprising a base clamping plate disposed adjacent to a bottom surface and a top surface of said lumbar spine member with said base clamping plate including a domed region disposed adjacent said top surface between said lumbar spine member and said lumbar mounting wedge, said domed region having an upper curved surface,
wherein said central portion of said belt is positioned onto said upper curved surface of said domed region and adjacent to a corresponding lower curved surface of said lumbar mounting wedge.

13. The crash test dummy according to claim 9 further comprising one or more fasteners for securing said lumbar mounting wedge to said lumbar spine member with said central portion of said belt interposed between said lumbar mounting wedge and said lumbar spine member.

14. The crash test dummy according to claim 9 , wherein said lumbar spine member comprises:
a base region positioned along said central axis;
a pair of outer legs extending outwardly away from opposing sides of the base region relative to said central axis, with a terminal end of each of said pair of outer legs coupled to a respective one of said pair of lumbar clamping plates; and
a pair of inner legs extending from said base region in a direction towards said lumbar mounting bracket, with said pair of inner legs disposed within said pair of outer legs on opposing sides of said central axis.

15. The crash test dummy according to claim 14 , wherein a length of each of said pair of intermediate portions is greater than a length L 1 of each one of said pair of outer legs.

16. The crash test dummy according to claim 1 further comprising one or more fasteners for mounting said belt system to a respective one of said pair of lumbar clamping plates, said lumbar spine member, and said lumbar mounting bracket.

17. The crash test dummy according to claim 1 , wherein said lumbar spine member comprises:
a base region positioned

Assignees

• Humanetics Innovative Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Been Bernard Willem

Classifications

• G01M99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G01M17/08

  Railway vehicles · CPC title

• G09B23/32 Primary

  with moving parts · CPC title

• G09B23/28 Primary

  for medicine · CPC title

• G01M17/0078 Primary

  Shock-testing of vehicles · CPC title