Spinal column simulator

Claim 2

A spinal column simulator for indicating human spinal column movement under impact loading, the simulator comprising: a plurality of generally circular vertebra simulating members arranged in a spaced linear relationship generally parallel with each other to provide the simulator with a predetermined elongated configuration of a predetermined length; a plurality of ball and socket connections including a plurality of receptacle portions respectively mounted on the members and defining respective open ended spherical sockets, a plurality of pairs of spaced generally complementary ball portions respectively received by the sockets with the ball portions adjacent the socket openings connected to the central portions of the adjacent members to thereby allow connected angular movement of the members relative to each other away from and back to their relative positions providing the predetermined elongated configuration of the simulator, and slidable means connecting the ball portions of each pair to allow movement of the member toward and away from each other to decrease and increase the predetermined length of the simulator; and synthetic viscoelastic material received between the outer portions of the members and between the ball portions of each pair to resist angular and rectilinear movement of the members toward and away from their relative positions providing the predetermined elongated configuration and length of the simulator and to urge the members back to these relative positions upon movement therefrom, the viscoelastic material absorbing a quantity of energy while resisting angular and rectilinear movement of the members under impact loading and this quantity of energy being equal to between 1.43 and 2.5 times the quantity of energy the viscoelastic material expends while urging the members back to the relative positions providing the predetermined elongated configuration and length of the simulator to thereby allow movement of the simulator in a manner simulating movement of a human spinal column under impact loading.

Claim 3

The spinal column simulator of claim 3 wherein the viscoelastic material is a polyvinyl chloride solid.

Claim 4

The spinal column simulator of claim 3 wherein the viscoelastic material is a polyvinyl chloride foam.

Claim 5

The spinal column simulator of claim 3 wherein the viscoelastic material is a polyethylene foam. 7 The spinal column simulator of claim 3 wherein the viscoelastic material is a polyurethane foam.

Claim 6

The spinal column simulator of claim 3 wherein the viscoelastic material between the outer portions of the members has a generally annular but slightly eccentric configuration such that angular movement of the members under impact loading in one direction causes energy absorption by the viscoelastic material equal to a quantity of energy between 1.43 and 2.00 times the energy expended thereby while angular movement of the members under impact loading in the opposite direction causes energy absorption by the viscoelastic material equal to between 1.67 and 2.50 times the energy expended thereby to thus allow movement of the members in a manner simulating forward and rearward movement of the neck portion of a human spinal column under impact loading.

Claim 7

The spinal column simulator of claim 8 in which the uppermost member is pivotally connected to an attachment for attaching a head simulator and the pivotal movement is controlled by viscoelastic material to simulate pivotal movement of the occipital bone about the atlas.