3D Printed Crash Dummy Organs with Adjustable Cell Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current crash test dummies lack the ability to accurately simulate the mechanical properties and internal organ responses necessary for realistic evaluation of abdominal injuries during vehicle collisions, as they cannot be easily adjusted for varying stiffness and force deflection properties.
Innovation Solution
Three-dimensionally printed internal organs with adjustable outer and inner cores, featuring varied cell structures, are integrated into the crash test dummy to replicate human-like abdominal organs such as the liver, stomach, spleen, and colon, allowing for customizable material and structural adjustments to mimic human tissue responses during vehicle crash testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional material substitution methods are used to adjust stiffness, then material selection is limited, but manufacturing flexibility and performance adjustment capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the cellular structure geometry (cell size, shape, density, and arrangement) of the 3D printed internal organs to adjust stiffness properties. Instead of changing materials, the invention varies structural parameters such as cell wall thickness, cell size, and porosity to achieve different force-deflection characteristics, enabling continuous stiffness adjustment within the same material system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite structures by combining solid polymer matrix with cellular void structures to create materials with tailored mechanical properties. The cellular composite architecture provides both the structural framework and the adjustable stiffness characteristics, allowing the internal organs to exhibit human-like mechanical behavior through optimized composite design rather than relying on multiple different base materials.
2Ease of manufacture
If 3D printing is used to create internal organs, then manufacturing flexibility and customization are improved, but manufacturing complexity and process requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating internal organs with spatially varying cellular structures where different regions have different cell sizes, densities, and geometries to match the heterogeneous mechanical properties of actual human organs. This allows each region of the printed organ to have locally optimized properties, achieving realistic mechanical behavior throughout the entire structure while maintaining a single manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by designing cellular structures that can dynamically respond to applied loads, where the cell walls deform and collapse in controlled sequences to replicate the progressive failure modes of human tissues during impact. This dynamic response capability is achieved through the 3D printed cellular architecture that allows progressive deformation rather than rigid static behavior.
3Manufacturing precision
If cellular structures are varied to adjust mechanical properties, then performance accuracy is improved, but design and manufacturing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and pre-designing cellular structure configurations that correspond to specific target mechanical properties. Design databases or lookup tables are created in advance that map desired stiffness values to specific cell geometry parameters, allowing designers to quickly select appropriate structures without iterative optimization during the design phase, thus reducing design cycle time while maintaining precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the biofidelity of crash test dummies by enabling adjustable force versus deflection properties, shortening design cycles, and providing a more human-like simulation of abdominal injuries, thereby improving the accuracy of vehicle safety evaluations.
Implementation Method 1
Three-dimensionally printed internal organs with adjustable outer and inner cores
Implementation Method 2
an inner core having a plurality of defined and varied cell structures disposed in the outer core to replicate an internal portion of the internal organ
Data Source
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AI summary
A three-dimensionally printed internal organ for a crash test dummy is made of at least an outer core configured to replicate an outer portion for the internal organ and an inner core having a plurality of defined and varied cell structures disposed in the outer core to replicate an internal portion of the internal organ, wherein the outer core and inner core are adjustable in structure and material to vary performance requirements for evaluation of potential abdominal injuries during vehicle crash testing.