Adjustable lumbar spine assembly for crash test dummy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9965977-B2
Application number	US-201514980655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

An adjustable lumbar spine assembly for a crash test dummy includes an upper member adapted to be connected to an upper thoracic portion of a spine of the crash test dummy, a lower member adapted to be connected to a lower thoracic portion of the spine of the crash test dummy, an upper abdomen interface connected to the lower member and adapted to be connected to an upper abdomen portion of the crash test dummy, and an adjustment mechanism cooperating with the upper member and the lower member to allow adjustment of varying fixed joint angles between the upper member and the lower member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly for a crash test dummy comprising:
an upper member adapted to be operatively connected to an upper thoracic portion of a spine of the crash test dummy;
a lower member adapted to be operatively connected to a lower thoracic portion of the spine of the crash test dummy;
an upper abdomen interface connected to said upper member and adapted to be connected to an upper abdomen portion of the crash test dummy; and
an adjustment mechanism cooperating with said upper member and said lower member to allow adjustment at different increments of adjustment about a lateral axis between said upper member and said lower member for a predetermined number of different and varying fixed joint angles about the lateral axis between said upper member and said lower member.

2. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises a first fastener to pivotally connect said upper member and said lower member together.

3. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said upper member has an upper wall and a pair of side walls extending downwardly from said upper wall.

4. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said lower member has a lower wall and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from said lower wall.

5. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first fastener extends through said side walls of said upper member and said lower member.

6. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said upper member includes a plurality of apertures extending through said side walls.

7. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said lower member includes a plurality of apertures extending through said side walls.

8. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises a second fastener extending through one of said apertures in said upper member and said lower member to fix said upper member and said lower member in one of the joint angles.

9. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said joint angles range from negative nine degrees (−9°), neutral zero degrees (0°), positive nine degrees (9), and positive twelve degrees (12°).

10. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper member and said lower member are made of a rigid material.

11. A crash test dummy comprising:
a body including a spine having an upper thoracic portion and a lower thoracic portion, said body including an upper abdomen portion;
an adjustable lumbar spine assembly connected to said spine; and
said adjustable lumbar spine assembly comprising an upper member operatively connected to said upper thoracic portion, a lower member operatively connected to said lower thoracic portion, an upper abdomen interface connected to said upper member and said upper abdomen portion, and an adjustment mechanism cooperating with said upper member and said lower member to allow adjustment at different increments of adjustment about a lateral axis between said upper member and said lower member for a predetermined number of different and varying fixed joint angles about lateral axis between said upper member and said lower member.

12. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 11 wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises a first fastener to pivotally connect said upper member and said lower member together.

13. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 12 wherein said upper member has an upper wall and a pair of side walls extending downwardly from said upper wall.

14. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 13 wherein said lower member has a lower wall and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from said lower wall.

15. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first fastener extends through said side walls of said upper member and said lower member.

16. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 15 wherein said upper member includes a plurality of apertures extending through said side walls.

17. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 16 wherein said lower member includes a plurality of apertures extending through said side walls.

18. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 17 wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises a second fastener extending through one of said apertures in said upper member and said lower member to fix said upper member and said lower member in one of the joint angles.

19. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 11 wherein said joint angles range from negative nine degrees (−9°), neutral zero degrees (0°), positive nine degrees (9), and positive twelve degrees (12°).

20. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 11 wherein said upper member and said lower member are made of a rigid material.

21. A crash test dummy as set forth in claim 11 including interfaces for instrumentation for tri-axial linear acceleration and tri-axial angular rate and bi-axial tilt.

22. An adjustable lumbar spine assembly for a crash test dummy comprising:
an upper member adapted to be operatively connected to an upper thoracic portion of a spine of the crash test dummy, said upper member including a plurality of first side walls and a plurality of first apertures extending through said first side walls;
a lower member adapted to be operatively connected to a lower thoracic portion of the spine of the crash test dummy, said lower member including a plurality of second side walls and a plurality of second apertures extending through said second side walls;
an upper abdomen interface connected to said upper member and adapted to be connected to an upper abdomen portion of the crash test dummy;
a first fastener extending through said first side walls and said second side walls to pivotally connect said upper member and said lower member together, said first fastener defining a lateral axis between said upper member and said lower member; and
an adjustment mechanism cooperating with said first apertures of said upper member and said second apertures of said lower member to allow adjustment at different increments of adjustment about a lateral axis between said upper member and said lower member for a predetermined number of different and varying fixed joint angles about the lateral axis between said upper member and said lower member.

Assignees

• Humanetics Innovative Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Been Bernard W
• Salloum Michel J

Classifications

• G09B23/34

  with removable parts · CPC title

• G09B23/32 Primary

  with moving parts · CPC title