Flexible surrogate spine assembly for crash test dummy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9564069-B2
Application number	US-201213427381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2012
Priority date	Mar 22, 2012
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A flexible surrogate spine assembly for a crash test dummy includes a plurality of vertebra discs, a plurality of ligament joints disposed between the vertebra discs, the ligament joints having a joint element with varying joint angles that can replicate Kyphosis and Lordosis angles of a human spine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible surrogate spine assembly for a crash test dummy comprising:
at least five vertebra discs;
a plurality of ligament joints disposed between said at least five vertebra discs; and
said ligament joints having a joint element with varying joint angles such that four different joint angles can replicate Kyphosis and Lordosis angles of a human spine, wherein each said joint element has an upper surface extending in a plane and a lower surface extending in a plane, at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface forming a predetermined angle relative to an axis perpendicular to a vertical neutral axis of said ligament joint, and wherein each said ligament joint comprises an upper member having a planar lower surface, a lower member having a planar upper surface, and said joint element being disposed between said lower surface of said upper member and said upper surface of said lower member.

2. A flexible surrogate spine assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said predetermined angle ranges from zero degrees (0°) to six degrees (6).

3. A flexible surrogate spine assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper member and said lower member are made of a rigid material.

4. A flexible surrogate spine assembly for a crash test dummy comprising:
at least five vertebra discs;
a plurality of ligament joints disposed between said at least five vertebra discs;
said ligament joints having a joint element with varying joint angles such that four different joint angles can replicate Kyphosis and Lordosis angles of a human spine, wherein said joint element has an upper surface extending in a plane and a lower surface extending in a plane, at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface forming a predetermined angle relative to an axis perpendicular to a vertical neutral axis of said ligament joint; and
wherein at least one of said at least five vertebra discs is a transducer to measure forces and moments that are transferred between said vertebra discs.

5. A flexible surrogate spine assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said transducer is a spine load cell constructed as a vertebra disc.

6. A flexible surrogate spine assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said transducer includes a rib load cell constructed as part of a vertebra disc.

7. A flexible surrogate spine assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said spine load cell and rib load cell are either combined or separate load cells.

8. A flexible surrogate spine assembly for a crash test dummy comprising:
a plurality of vertebra discs;
a plurality of ligament joints disposed between said vertebra discs;
said ligament joints having a joint element with varying joint angles that can replicate Kyphosis and Lordosis angles of a human spine, wherein each said joint element has an upper surface extending in a plane and a lower surface extending in a plane, at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface forming a predetermined angle relative to an axis perpendicular to a vertical neutral axis of said ligament joint;
each said ligament joint comprising an upper plate, a lower plate, and a joint element disposed between said upper plate and said lower plate; and
wherein said joint element is made of a flexible material.

9. A crash test dummy comprising:
a body;
a flexible surrogate spine assembly connected to said body; and
said flexible surrogate spine assembly comprising at least four vertebra segments with varying joint angles such that four different joint angles can replicate Kyphosis and Lordosis angles of a human spine, wherein each of said at least four vertebra segments comprise a vertebra disc and a ligament joint, each said ligament joint having a joint element with an upper surface extending in a plane and a lower surface extending in a plane, at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface forming a predetermined angle relative to an axis perpendicular to a vertical neutral axis of said ligament joint, and wherein each said ligament joint comprises an upper member having a planar lower surface, a lower member having a planar upper surface, and said joint element being disposed between said lower surface of said upper member and said upper surface of said lower member.

10. A crash test dummy comprising:
a body;
a flexible surrogate spine assembly connected to said body;
said flexible surrogate spine assembly comprising at least four vertebra segments with varying joint angles such that four different joint angles can replicate Kyphosis and Lordosis angles of a human spine, wherein each of said at least four vertebra segments comprise a vertebra disc and a ligament joint, each said ligament joint having an upper surface extending in a plane and a lower surface extending in a plane, at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface forming a predetermined angle relative to an axis perpendicular to a vertical neutral axis of said ligament joint; and
wherein each said ligament joint comprises an upper plate, a lower plate, and a joint element disposed between said upper plate and said lower plate.

11. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 10 wherein said predetermined angle ranges from zero degrees (0°) to six degrees (6).

12. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 10 wherein at least one of said at least four vertebra discs is a transducer to measure forces and moments that are transferred therebetwen.

13. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 10 including a rib cage assembly connected to said spine assembly.

14. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 13 wherein said rib cage assembly includes a plurality of rib cage members connected to at least two of said at least four vertebra segments.

15. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 14 wherein said rib cage assembly includes a flexible element disposed between said at least two of said at least four vertebra segments and said rib cage members.

16. A crash test dummy comprising:
a body;
a flexible surrogate spine assembly connected to said body;
a rib cage assembly connected to said spine assembly;
said flexible surrogate spine assembly comprising a plurality of vertebra segments, each of said vertebra segments comprising a vertebra disc and a ligament joint with varying joint angles that can replicate Kyphosis and Lordosis angles of a human spine, each said ligament joint comprising an upper plate, a lower plate, and a joint element disposed between said upper plate and said plate, each said joint element having an upper surface extending in a plane and a lower surface extending in a plane, at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface forming a predetermined angle ranging from zero degrees (0) to six degrees (6) relative to an axis perpendicular to a vertical neutral axis of said ligament joint; and
said rib cage assembly comprising a plurality of rib cage members connected to said vertebra segments.

Assignees

• Wang Zhenwen J
• Humanetics Innovative Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Wang Zhenwen J

Classifications

• G09B23/34

  with removable parts · CPC title

• G09B23/32 Primary

  with moving parts · CPC title