Human body model for child restraint system (CRS) test or static test in vehicle and system and method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mannequin that simulates the body weight and body shape of a real child for children restraint system (CRS) testing or static testing in a vehicle. The mannequin comprises: a head portion (01) simulating the head of a child; a torso portion (02) connected to the head portion (01), the torso portion comprising an interchangeable weight (14) embedded therein; a pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) connected to the torso portion (02), the position of which is adjustable to simulate the sitting posture of the child (the sitting child); and a pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B). Any one or all of the head portion (01), the torso portion (02), the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B), and the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) includes a plurality of cavities formed therein.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a human model, system, and method for testing or static testing of child restraint systems (CRS) in vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Child restraint systems (CRS) are designed to protect children during a vehicle collision. However, the effectiveness of a CRS depends on the correct use and installation of the device. To ensure proper use of CRS, manufacturers and safety organizations conduct tests to evaluate its performance in various scenarios. One challenge in conducting CRS testing, or static testing, is simulating a child's weight. Typically, these tests use mannequins to represent children, and it is particularly important that the mannequins simulate the weight and body size of a real child. However, conventional mannequins cannot accurately simulate a child's weight and body size, leading to inaccurate test results. A new mannequin is needed for CRS testing or static testing in vehicles to address this issue.

[0003] US Patent document US 5,528,943 A discloses a female crash test dummy with a fetal insert. While it has a complete human body shape and can accommodate a fetal insert to simulate pregnancy, it cannot accurately simulate the weight and body shape of a child or even a pregnant woman, leading to inaccurate test results if used for CRS or static testing. Therefore, the object of this invention is to overcome this problem.

[0004] The above information is provided for background information purposes only to aid in understanding this disclosure. No determination or assertion is made as to whether any of the above content can be applied to this disclosure as prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure addresses the aforementioned problems and / or disadvantages, and provides at least the advantages described in this patent specification. Therefore, one aspect of this disclosure is to provide a mannequin for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, the mannequin comprising: a head portion configured to simulate a child's head; a torso portion connected to the head portion via a cervical steel joint; a pair of arms connected to the torso portion via shoulder steel joints, the position of the arms being adjustable to simulate a child's sitting posture; and a pair of legs connected to a pelvic portion via hip steel joints, the position of the legs being adjustable to simulate a child's sitting posture; characterized in that the mannequin has multiple cavities formed internally; and interchangeable counterweights disposed within the torso portion for adjusting the weight of the mannequin to approximate the weight of a normal child.

[0006] Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, wherein the torso, head, arms, and legs are made of thermoplastic material.

[0007] Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a mannequin for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, wherein the mannequin's weight distribution is 65% thermoplastic material, 30% steel, and 5% fasteners.

[0008] Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, wherein a magnetic metal plate is disposed on the top of the head portion.

[0009] Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, wherein multiple cavities have different shapes and sizes to simulate different weight distributions of children according to their age.

[0010] Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, wherein multiple cavities are located in the torso, head, arms and legs.

[0011] Another aspect of this disclosure is to provide a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, wherein multiple cavities are filled with a material selected from the group consisting of steel materials. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 A perspective view of a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0013] Figure 2 A side view of a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, is shown.

[0014] Figure 3 The illustration shows a steel shoulder joint for connecting the arms to the torso portion of a human model used for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0015] Figure 4A cross-section of the shoulder steel joints for connecting the arms to the torso portion is shown in a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 5 A half-cross section of a human model is shown for static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is intended to aid in a comprehensive understanding of the various embodiments of this disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. Various specific details are included to aid understanding, but these details should be considered exemplary only. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the various embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known functions and structures may be omitted for clarity and brevity.

[0018] The terms and vocabulary used in the following description and claims are not limited to their documentary meaning, but are used solely by the inventors to enable a clear and consistent understanding of this disclosure. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of this disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Depending on the context, this patent specification should be read with the same concept as "excluding absurd situations," meaning that, where possible, the specification should be interpreted to avoid absurd or unforeseen results.

[0019] It should be understood that, unless the context explicitly specifies otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references. Thus, for example, referring to “a fastener” includes referring to one or more such fasteners. Furthermore, the term “another fastener” may include referring to one or more other fasteners.

[0020] The sole essential feature for the invention to function is a mannequin for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, the mannequin comprising: a head portion configured to simulate a child's head; a torso portion connected to the head portion; a pair of arms connected to the torso portion via steel joints, the position of which is adjustable to simulate a seated child; and a pair of legs connected to a pelvic portion, the position of which is adjustable to simulate a seated child; characterized in that the mannequin has multiple cavities formed internally; and interchangeable counterweights disposed within the torso portion for adjusting the weight of the mannequin to approximate the weight of a normal child. Unless the context explicitly specifies otherwise, other features mentioned herein are considered optional in enhancing the effectiveness of the mannequin and have certain advantages.

[0021] As used herein, the term "approximately" refers to an acceptable range of error for a particular value (which depends on the method of measurement or determination) as determined by a person skilled in the art, meaning within the limitations of the measurement system. For example, "approximately" may mean above or within 1 standard deviation in practice in the art. If a particular value is listed in the application and claims, the term "approximately" means within an acceptable range of error for that particular value, unless otherwise stated. If strictness is required in interpreting the term, in this application, the term "approximately" may be suggested as ±5% of a given value, or a range that can be considered valid. However, for the term "approximately" used when describing angles in the claims, abstract, and specification, it is preferably described as ±5 degrees or ±10 degrees, for example, "approximately 180 degrees" is preferably defined as "a range of 175 to 185 degrees" or "a range of 170 to 190 degrees".

[0022] Figure 1 A perspective view of a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, is shown. Figure 2 A side view of a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, according to an embodiment of this disclosure, is shown.

[0023] The human body model includes: a head portion 01 configured to simulate a child's head; a torso portion 02 connected to the head portion 01 via neck steel joints (09, 10); a pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) connected to the torso portion 02 via shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13), the position of which is adjustable to simulate a child's sitting posture; and a pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) connected to the pelvis portion 03 via hip steel joints (17, 18, 19), the position of which is adjustable to simulate a child's sitting posture. Preferably, the human body model is made to simulate the body shape of a 6- or 10-year-old child from ASEAN countries. Preferably, the human body model is designed to have a weight of approximately 19.6 kg or approximately 30 kg. Preferably, the mannequin is detachable and flexible. Preferably, the mannequin has a height of approximately 114.5 cm or approximately 137 cm. Preferably, the mannequin has a sitting height of approximately 61 cm or approximately 70.5 cm.

[0024] The head portion 01 includes a rigid section, the torso portion 02 includes a rigid section, the pair of arm portions (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) includes four rigid sections, the pelvic portion 03 includes a rigid section, and the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) includes four rigid sections, for a total of eleven rigid sections. Preferably, all eleven rigid sections are 3D printed sections, manufactured using a 3D printing fused deposition modeling (FDM) method. Preferably, they are made of thermoplastic materials, such as, but not limited to, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), PLA reinforced, or PLA professional.

[0025] Preferably, the head portion 01 is hollow inside and directly connected to the neck steel joints (09, 10). They are designed to be tilted approximately 5 degrees along the x-axis. o Furthermore, lateral movement is strictly prohibited. Preferably, a magnetic metal plate 08 is provided at the top of the head portion 01 to magnetically secure the level during vehicle evaluation. This attachment of the magnetic metal plate 08 ensures that the level remains intact and in the optimal position for accurate leveling measurements.

[0026] Figure 3 The illustration shows a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, with shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13) for connecting the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) to the torso portion 02, while Figure 4A cross-section of a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown for connecting the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) to the shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13) of the torso portion 02.

[0027] The shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13) are steel joints used to connect the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) to the torso portion 02 of the mannequin. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13) shown are designed to allow for true degrees of freedom, i.e., 360 degrees of rotation on the x-axis. o And rotate approximately 180 degrees on the y-axis. o It also allows for easy replacement of the arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) when testing of a mannequin with another shoulder measurement is required, especially when changes to the mannequin measurements are needed. Preferably, the curved sections that are part of the shoulder joints (11, 12, 13) are themselves interchangeable.

[0028] The design of the shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13) also allows for easier maintenance of this part. By removing fastener 30, the entire arm (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) assembly can be disassembled, enabling simple maintenance and accessibility.

[0029] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, the curved shape of the portion as part of the shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13) is ideal for child restraint system (CRS) assessments because it provides a safer operating procedure, particularly in terms of CRS and harness installation. Using this design significantly reduces the risk of operator injury. Tightening adjustment of the arm (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) components is achieved via multiple fasteners 30 between the shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13) to allow for easy maintenance and accessibility. Preferably, the multiple fasteners 30 are made of stainless steel.

[0030] Figure 5 A half-cross section of a human model for testing or static testing of a child restraint system (CRS) in a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown.

[0031] Preferably, the human body model has multiple cavities inside; and interchangeable counterweights 14 are disposed inside the torso portion 02 to adjust the weight of the human body model to be close to the weight of a normal child. Preferably, the weight distribution of the human body model comprises 65% thermoplastic material, 30% steel, and 5% fasteners 30.

[0032] Preferably, the multiple cavities have different shapes and sizes to simulate different weights or different weight distributions of children according to their respective ages. More preferably, the multiple cavities are located in the torso portion 02, the head portion 01, the arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B), and the legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B). In an alternative embodiment, the multiple cavities are filled with a material selected from the group consisting of steel materials to further simulate the weight of a normal child.

[0033] As shown in the figure, preferably, the torso portion 02 (particularly the upper part) has a hollow central cavity to fill with interchangeable counterweights 14. Interchangeable counterweights 14, preferably made of steel, are ideal because they can accommodate variations in anthropometric measurements. Preferably, fasteners 30 are used to connect the torso portion 02 and the counterweights 14 within it to indicate the center of gravity at the torso portion 02. Preferably, the neck steel joints (9, 10); shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13); elbow steel joints (15, 16); hip steel joints (17, 18, 19); and knee steel joints (20, 21) are manufactured using steel materials through computer numerical control (CNC) machining. The types of steel used include, but are not limited to, low-carbon steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, etc. Preferably, the rigid parts and steel parts are connected using steel fasteners 30, such as, but not limited to, bolts and nuts.

[0034] To achieve the foregoing and related objectives, one or more various embodiments include features which will be described in detail below and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and drawings illustrate certain illustrative aspects in detail and indicate only a few of the various ways in which the principles of the various embodiments may be employed. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings, and the various embodiments disclosed are intended to encompass all such aspects and their equivalents.

[0035] Other aspects, advantages, and distinctive features of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of various embodiments of this disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0036] Although various embodiments thereof have been shown and described with reference to this disclosure, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A manikin for child restraint system (CRS) testing or static testing in a vehicle, characterized in that, The mannequin comprises: a head portion (01) configured to simulate a head of a child; a torso portion (02) connected to the head portion (01) through neck steel joints (09, 10), wherein the torso portion (02) comprises interchangeable weights (14) embedded therein, configured to adjust a weight of the mannequin relative to a normal child's weight; a pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) connected to the torso portion (02) through shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13), wherein positions of the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) are adjustable to simulate a sitting posture of the child; and a pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) connected to a pelvic portion (03) through hip steel joints (17, 18, 19), wherein positions of the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) are adjustable to simulate the sitting posture of the child, wherein any one or all of the head portion (01), the torso portion (02), the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B), and the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) comprise a plurality of cavities formed therein.

2. The mannequin according to claim 1, wherein the head portion (01), the torso portion (02), the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B), and the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) are made of a thermoplastic material.

3. The mannequin according to claim 2, wherein the mannequin has a weight distribution of 65% of the thermoplastic material, 30% of steel, and 5% of fasteners (30).

4. The mannequin according to claims 1, 2, and / or 3, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polylactic acid.

5. The mannequin according to claim 1, wherein the head portion (01) comprises a top portion provided with a magnetic metal plate (08).

6. The mannequin according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of cavities comprise different shapes and sizes to correspondingly simulate weights of different children according to respective ages.

7. The mannequin according to claims 1 and / or 6, wherein the plurality of cavities are formed in the head portion (01), the torso portion (02), the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B), and the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B).

8. The mannequin according to claims 1, 6, and / or 7, wherein the plurality of cavities are filled with a material selected from a group comprising a steel material.

9. A system for performing or conducting a child restraint system (CRS) test or static test in a vehicle, characterized by, The system comprises: a mannequin comprising: a head portion (01) configured to simulate a head of a child; a torso portion (02) connected to the head portion (01) by a neck steel joint (09, 10), wherein the torso portion (02) includes an interchangeable weight block (14) embedded therein configured to adjust the weight of the manikin relative to the weight of a normal child; a pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) connected to the torso portion (02) by shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13), wherein the position of the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) is adjustable to simulate a sitting posture of the child; and a pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) connected to the pelvic portion (03) by hip steel joints (17, 18, 19), wherein the position of the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) is adjustable to simulate the sitting posture of the child, wherein any one or all of the head portion (01), the torso portion (02), the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B), and the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) include a plurality of cavities formed therein; and a CRS assessment unit.

10. A method of performing or conducting a child restraint system (CRS) test or static test in a vehicle, characterized by, The method includes the steps of: providing a CRS assessment unit; and providing a manikin, wherein the step of providing a manikin includes: preparing a head portion (01) configured to simulate a head of a child; preparing a torso portion (02) connected to the head portion (01) by a neck steel joint (09, 10), wherein the torso portion (02) includes an interchangeable weight block (14) embedded therein configured to adjust the weight of the manikin relative to the weight of a normal child; preparing a pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) connected to the torso portion (02) by shoulder steel joints (11, 12, 13), wherein the position of the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B) is adjustable to simulate a sitting posture of the child; and preparing a pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) connected to the pelvic portion (03) by hip steel joints (17, 18, 19), wherein the position of the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) is adjustable to simulate the sitting posture of the child, wherein any one or all of the head portion (01), the torso portion (02), the pair of arms (04A, 04B, 05A, 05B), and the pair of legs (06A, 06B, 07A, 07B) include a plurality of cavities formed therein.

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