Segmented Trunk Skeleton for Human Body Dummy Spine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional human body dummies used in crash tests do not accurately represent the spine and thorax portions of the human body, leading to inaccurate injury prediction due to their simplistic rod-shaped spine structure and lack of a coupled thorax portion.
Innovation Solution
A trunk skeleton for a human body dummy featuring a spine portion with multiple vertebrae made of metal or synthetic resin, intervertebral buffer portions for elasticity, and a thorax portion with costa and sternum components made of synthetic resin, allowing for more accurate simulation of human body physical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simplistic rod-shaped spine structure is used in conventional human body dummies, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the structural accuracy and reliability of injury prediction deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spine is segmented into multiple vertebra portions (first through sixth vertebra portions) that can move relative to each other, rather than using a single rigid rod. This segmentation allows the dummy to better simulate human spinal flexibility and movement patterns during crashes, improving injury prediction accuracy while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular construction
Solution Approach 2:
The spine structure transitions from a rigid rod with fixed parameters to a multi-segmented structure with variable parameters including intervertebral distances, vertebral dimensions, and material properties. These parameter changes enable the spine to exhibit more realistic deformation characteristics and movement patterns under impact forces
2Device complexity
If a rod-shaped spine structure without thorax coupling is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and reliability of thorax and spine injury indication deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The thorax portion is merged with the spine portion through coupling mechanisms that connect the costa portions to the vertebra portions. This integration creates a unified thorax-spine structure that accurately represents the anatomical connection in human bodies, enabling simultaneous measurement of forces and displacements in both regions during crash tests
Solution Approach 2:
The coupled thorax-spine structure serves multiple functions: it measures forces and displacements in both the thorax and spine regions, validates finite element model accuracy, and provides comprehensive injury prediction data. This multi-functional design improves measurement precision without proportionally increasing device complexity
3Ease of manufacture
If the spine structure does not represent human body physical properties, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability and validity of crash test data for injury prediction deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spine structure incorporates parameter changes including varying vertebral dimensions, intervertebral distances, and material properties that reflect human spinal characteristics. These changes enable the dummy spine to exhibit realistic stiffness, flexibility, and deformation behavior under impact, validating crash test data for injury prediction
Solution Approach 2:
The spine structure uses composite construction with different materials for vertebra portions and intervertebral buffer portions, combining rigid vertebral elements with flexible buffering elements. This composite approach replicates the hierarchical structure of human bone and cartilage, improving the validity of crash test data while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
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 improved trunk skeleton structure enhances the predictive estimation of injuries to the thorax and spine, enabling more reliable and accurate safety assessments in crash tests.
Implementation Method 1
The intervertebral buffer portions are configured to have elasticity that allows the vertebra portions to be displaced at least in a forward and backward direction of the human body
Data Source
AI summary
A trunk skeleton of a human body dummy includes a spine portion, the spine portion including a plurality of vertebra portions made of metal-based materials or synthetic resin-based materials, a plurality of intervertebral buffer portions disposed between the vertebra portions, the intervertebral buffer portions being made of synthetic resin-based materials, and a bone-coupling portion coupling the vertebra portions in a displaceable manner, the bone-coupling portion including a metal-based rod-shaped member; and a thorax portion, the thorax portion including a plurality of costa portions having first ends coupled to the respective vertebra portions of the spine portion, thus forming respective pairs for the vertebra portions, the costa portions being made of synthetic resin-based materials, and a sternum body coupled to second ends of the costa portions, the sternum body being made of a synthetic resin-based material.