Human lumbar model structure capable of simulating pressure applied to nucleus pulposus in human lumbar and application equipment utilizing the structure

摘要

The human lumbar model structure comprises a lumbar assembly and an abdominal/back muscle member. The lumbar assembly comprises an upper body member, an upper lumbar member, an annulus fibrosus member, a lower lumbar member, and a lower body member which are coaxially arranged around a common center axis and which are superposed vertically from top to bottom in this order. The abdominal/back muscle member is made of an elastic material and has a hollow cylindrical shape. The abdominal/back muscle member surrounds and elastically tightens the lumbar assembly over a center area around the annulus fibrosus member. The annulus fibrosus member comprises a thick cylindrical ring made of a hard elastic material and is tightly fitted into the upper and lower lumbar members with its inner cavity filled with a fluid as a nucleus pulposus member. A pressure sensor is arranged along the center axis of the lower lumbar member in direct contact with the nucleus pulposus member. The pressure sensor detects a pressure variation of the nucleus pulposus member as a voltage variation in response to the inclination or the displacement of the two lumbar members and produces an electric signal representative of the voltage variation.