# US 11,994,449 B1 · Method, medium, and device for testing lumbar spine performance of a crash test dummy

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- Number: US 11,994,449 B1
- Document ID: US11994449B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/474,210
- Filed: 2023-09-25
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2023-02-16
- Assignees: China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co., Ltd; Catarc Automotive Test Center (Tianjin) Co., Ltd
- Applicants: China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co., Ltd; Catarc Automotive Test Center (Tianjin) Co., Ltd
- Inventors: Hua Zhou; Zhixin Liu; Weidong Liu; Changqing Yu; Kai Wang; Hanxiao Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994449B1

## CPC

- G01M 7/08: Shock-testing
- Y02T 90/00: Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method for testing the lumbar spine performance of a crash test dummy includes the following steps: selecting a lumbar spine performance test item; collecting data of at least one preset physical quantity during the collision process between the pendulum and the energy-absorbing buffer block through sensors on the lumbar spine assembly; determining whether the data of each preset physical quantity is within the corresponding data channel; if the data of each preset physical quantity is within the corresponding data channel, the lumbar spine assembly is deemed qualified for the current lumbar spine performance test item. This disclosure evaluates the quality of the lumbar spine performance of crash test dummies, allowing only those with better lumbar spine performance to participate in crash tests, and therefore improving the consistency and accuracy of different crash test dummies' response in crash tests.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for testing lumbar spine performance of a crash test dummy, wherein the method is implemented based on a testing equipment; the testing equipment comprises a test frame, a pendulum, an energy-absorbing buffer block, and a sensor; a first end of the pendulum is pivotally connected to the test frame, while a second end of the pendulum is connected to a lumbar spine assembly of the crash test dummy; the sensor is mounted on the lumbar spine assembly; the energy-absorbing buffer block is mounted on the test frame; when the lumbar spine assembly is swung to a lowest position, the second end of the pendulum collides with the energy-absorbing buffer block;
the method comprises:
S1, selecting a lumbar spine performance test item; a configuration of the lumbar spine performance test item comprise a maximum collision velocity, whether there is a steel cable, and a testing angle, so that an operator is allowed to assembly the lumbar spine assembly of the crash test dummy based on whether there is the steel cable, to mount the lumbar spine assembly on the second end of the pendulum according to the testing angle, and to swing the pendulum to a corresponding angular position based on the maximum collision velocity; the stiffness of the lumbar spine assembly is greater when there is the steel cable being used compared to when the steel cable is not used, allowing for testing at different stiffness levels of the lumbar spine assembly;
S2, collecting, by the sensor on the lumbar spine assembly, data of at least one preset physical quantity during the collision process between the pendulum and the energy-absorbing buffer block; wherein, the pendulum is released, by the operator, after the pendulum reaches the corresponding angular position;
S3, determining whether the data of each preset physical quantity is within the corresponding data channel; and
S4, if the data of each preset physical quantity is within the corresponding data channel, the lumbar spine assembly is deemed qualified for the current lumbar spine performance test item, and then determining whether the lumbar spine assembly has completed testing for all lumbar spine performance test items; if completed, the lumbar spine performance test for the corresponding lumbar spine assembly of the crash test dummy is deemed qualified, and the testing process is terminated; if not completed, the process returns to S1 to perform testing on the next lumbar spine performance test item; if the data of any preset physical quantity is outside the corresponding data channel, the lumbar spine performance test for the corresponding lumbar spine assembly of the crash test dummy is deemed unqualified, and the testing process is terminated.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the testing equipment further comprises a tensioning belt, a clamping device, a pulley, and a lifting motor; the pulley is positioned on the test frame; the tensioning belt is wound around the pulley, with one end of the tensioning belt connected to the lifting motor, and the other end of the tensioning belt connected to the clamping device; the clamping device is configured to connected with the second end of the pendulum; when the clamping device is clamped to the second end of the pendulum, the pendulum is swung to the corresponding angular position through the cooperation of the lifting motor, the pulley, and the tensioning belt; by loosening the clamping device, the second end of the pendulum is released.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
before mounting the lumbar spine assembly to the second end of the pendulum in each lumbar spine performance test item, placing the lumbar spine assembly in an environment with a temperature of 20.6° C.-22.2° C. for at least 1 hour.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
before mounting the lumbar spine assembly to the second end of the pendulum in each lumbar spine performance test item, replacing the energy-absorbing buffer block; the energy-absorbing buffer blocks used in each lumbar spine performance test item are of the same size and material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the lumbar spine assembly comprises a lumbar base, a lumbar vertebra, and an upper torso substitute block that are sequentially connected; wherein the lumbar base is configured to connect with the second end of the pendulum; when there is the steel cable, the steel cable is threaded through a through-hole on the end face of the lumbar vertebra, between the upper and lower end faces of the lumbar vertebra, to enhance the stiffness of the lumbar spine assembly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the lumbar spine performance test item comprises at least one of the following:
lumbar spine performance test item with 0 degrees of flexion, without the steel cable, and the maximum collision velocity of 3.3 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 0 degrees of flexion, without the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 4.4 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 0 degrees of flexion, with the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 3.3 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 0 degrees of flexion, with the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 4.4 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 0 degrees of flexion, with the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 6.0 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 45 degrees of flexion, without the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 3.3 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 45 degrees of flexion, without the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 4.4 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 45 degrees of flexion, with the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 3.3 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 45 degrees of flexion, with the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 4.4 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 45 degrees of flexion, with the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 6.0 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 0 degrees of extension, with the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 3.3 m/s;
lumbar spine performance test item with 0 degrees of extension, with the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 4.4 m/s; and
lumbar spine performance test item with 0 degrees of extension, with the steel cable, and a maximum collision velocity of 6.0 m/s.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein for the lumbar spine performance test item corresponding to 0 degrees of flexion and 0 degrees of extension, the preset physical quantities to be collected comprise at least one of the following:
forces along an x-axis and a z-axis;
accelerations along the x-axis and the z-axis; and
torques along a y-axis;
for the lumbar spine performance test item corresponding to 45 degrees of flexion, the preset physical quantities to be collected comprises at least one of the following:
forces along the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis;
accelerations along the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis; and
torques along the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A computer non-transitory readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, wherein when the computer program is executed in a computer, the computer is caused to perform the method according to claim 1.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A computing device, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores executable code, and the processor, when executing the executable code, implements the method according to claim 1.