Three-dimensional ribs and method of three-dimensional printing of ribs for crash test dummy

• US 10,733,911 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2016
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humanetics Innovative Solutions Incorporated (HIS Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Humanetics Innovative Solutions Incorporated (HIS Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beebe, Michael S., Vara, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall, Eric S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Graves, Timothy P
• Application Number:
  US15/293,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20170110033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/243 using washers
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/0078 Shock-testing of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/00 Models for scientific, medical, or mathematical purposes, e.g. full-sized devices for demonstration purposes in the nature of toys A63H
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/30 Anatomical models G09B23/281 - G09B23/288 take precedence

Abstract

A three-dimensional rib for a crash test dummy includes at least two layers of a band material and a layer of damping material sandwiched in between the at least two layers of the band material.

Claims

1. A method of making a three-dimensional rib for a crash test dummy, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a three-dimensional printer;

making a CAD model of the rib for the crash test dummy, wherein the model of the rib forms a first rectangular cross section comprising a damping layer sandwiched between two band layers, the first rectangular cross section extends along an axis perpendicular to the first rectangular cross section to form an arcuate length terminated at opposing ends, and each of the opposing ends forms a second rectangular cross section comprising a unitary band layer without a damping layer that extends away from the adjoined first rectangular cross section damping layer along the axis; and

printing, by the three-dimensional printer, the CAD model using a band material to form the band layers and a damping material to form the damping layer.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said band material is FDM Thermoplastics or Polyjet Photopolymers.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said damping material is FDM Thermoplastics or Polyjet Photopolymers.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of printing comprises printing the band layers and the damping layer in one printing.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the damping layer has a thickness of approximately 9.5 millimeters.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the band layers has a thickness of approximately 4.0 millimeters.

7. A method as forth in claim 1, wherein the model of the rib includes at least one aperture formed within the rib for securing the rib in the crash test dummy.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the opposing ends, axis, and arcuate length are respectively first opposing ends, a first axis, and a first arcuate length, the model of the rib forms a third rectangular cross section comprising a damping layer sandwiched between two band layers, the third rectangular cross section extends along a second axis perpendicular to the third rectangular cross section to form a second arcuate length terminated at second opposing ends, each of the second opposing ends forms a fourth rectangular cross section comprising a unitary band layer without a damping layer, one of the second opposing ends extends away from the adjoined third rectangular cross section damping layer along the second axis and adjoins one of the first opposing ends, and the others of the first and second opposing ends respectively extend from the adjoined first rectangular cross section damping layer along the first axis and the adjoined third rectangular cross section damping layer along the second axis and do not contact each other.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the damping layer is exposed to the environment of the rib on opposing sides of the arcuate length parallel to the axis within the model.

10. A system for making a three-dimensional rib for a crash test dummy, the system comprising:

a three-dimensional printer; and

a controller coupled to the three-dimensional printer and configured to;

generate a CAD model of the rib for the crash test dummy, wherein the model of the rib forms a first rectangular cross section comprising a damping layer sandwiched between two band layers, the first rectangular cross section extends along an axis perpendicular to the first rectangular cross section to form an arcuate length terminated at opposing ends, and each of the opposing ends forms a second rectangular cross section comprising a unitary band layer without a damping layer that extends away from the adjoined first rectangular cross section damping layer along the axis; and

print, via the three-dimensional printer, the CAD model using a band material to form the band layers and a damping material to form the damping layer.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said band material is FDM Thermoplastics or Polyjet Photopolymers.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said damping material is FDM Thermoplastics or Polyjet Photopolymers.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to print, via the three-dimensional printer, the band layers and the damping layer in one printing.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the damping layer has a thickness of approximately 9.5 millimeters.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein each of the band layers has a thickness of approximately 4.0 millimeters.