IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,505,761
Granted Patent B2
US 12,505,761 · App. 18/167,629 · Granted Dec 23, 2025

Mammalian thermal manikin

Inventors: Shahram Aarabi (Seattle, WA); Jason Germany (Seattle, WA); Abhijith Shasheendra (Seattle, WA); Ketan Sunil Mhetre (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: University of Washington
G09B23/34G01K7/021G01K13/10G01N25/32G01K2213/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,505,761
App. No.
18/167,629
Granted
Dec 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A thermally representative phantom mammalian manikin assembly is provided. The assembly can include a cover portion representative of mammalian tissue partially enclosing a thermal cavity having a thermally representative material therein. The cover portion can have an opening with a cap extending across the opening and configured to further enclose the thermal cavity. The cap can have an aperture extending therethrough to receive a device extending through the aperture and into the thermally representative material within the thermal cavity. The device can be a thermocouple configured to measure a temperature of the thermally representative material. In assemblies representing mammalian limbs, the assembly can further include a second thermal cavity representing an additional portion of the limb, e.g., thermally representative upper and lower leg cavities.

Claims (49)

1 . A thermally representative phantom mammalian manikin assembly, comprising:

a cover portion partially enclosing a thermal cavity, the cover portion having an opening;

a cap extending across the opening and configured to further enclose the thermal cavity, the cap having an aperture extending therethrough;

a thermally representative material configured to represent mammalian tissue and positioned within the thermal cavity; and

a device extending through the aperture and into the thermally representative material within the thermal cavity, wherein the device is configured to measure a property of the thermally representative material.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the device is a thermocouple configured to measure temperature of the thermally representative material.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cap is a first cap, the aperture is a first aperture, and the opening is a first opening, wherein the cover portion further comprises a second opening, and wherein the assembly further comprises a second cap extending across the second opening of the cover portion and configured to further enclose the thermal cavity.

4 . The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the device is a first device, wherein the assembly further comprises a second device extending through the second aperture and into the thermally representative material within the thermal cavity, and wherein the device is configured to measure a property of the thermally representative material.

5 . The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first and second devices are first and second thermocouples configured to measure temperatures of the thermally representative material.

6 . The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a structural member extending between the first cap and the second cap, wherein the structural member is configured to arrange the first and second caps at a fixed distance apart.

7 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thermally representative material comprises an ultrasound gel.

8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover portion is formed from a material comprising a mixture of silicone and graphite.

9 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the mixture comprises a ratio of about 95% Shore 25A silicone elastomer and a ratio of about 5% graphite.

10 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover portion is an upper cover portion and wherein the assembly further comprises:

a lower cover portion partially enclosing a second thermal cavity having the thermally representative material therein, the lower cover portion having a lower cover opening;

a mid cover portion operably coupled between and separating the upper cover portion and the lower cover portion;

a second cap extending across the lower cover opening and configured to further enclose the second thermal cavity, the second cap having a second aperture extending therethrough; and

a second device extending through the second aperture and into the thermally representative material within the second thermal cavity, wherein the second device is configured to measure a property of the thermally representative material within the second thermal cavity.

11 . A thermally representative phantom mammalian manikin leg limb assembly, comprising:

an upper cover portion partially enclosing an upper thermal cavity having a first thermally representative material configured to represent mammalian tissue therein, the upper cover portion having a first upper opening;

a first upper cap extending across the first upper opening and configured to further enclose the upper thermal cavity, the first upper cap having a first upper aperture extending therethrough;

a first device extending through the first upper aperture and into the upper thermally representative material;

a mid cover portion operably coupled to the upper cover portion;

a lower cover portion operably coupled to the mid cover portion opposite the upper cover portion, the lower cover portion partially enclosing a lower thermal cavity having a second thermally representative material configured to represent mammalian tissue therein, the lower cover portion having a first lower opening;

a first lower cap extending across the first lower opening and configured to further enclose the lower thermal cavity, the first lower cap having a first lower aperture extending therethrough; and

a second device extending through the first lower aperture and into the second thermally representative material,

wherein the first device is configured to measure a property of the first thermally representative material, and wherein the second device is configured to measure a property of the second thermally representative material.

12 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first and second devices are thermocouples, wherein the property of the first thermally representative material is a first temperature, and wherein the property of the second thermally representative material is a second temperature.

13 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein:

the upper cover portion further comprises a second upper opening and the assembly further comprises a second upper cap extending across the second upper opening configured to further enclose the upper thermal cavity; and

the lower cover portion further comprises a second lower opening and the assembly further comprises a second lower cap extending across the second lower opening configured to further enclose the lower thermal cavity.

14 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein:

the assembly further comprises a third device extending through a second upper aperture of the second upper cap and into the first thermally representative material within the upper thermal cavity, the third device being configured to measure a second property of the first thermally representative material; and

the assembly further comprises a fourth device extending through a second lower aperture of the second lower cap and into the second thermally representative material within the lower thermal cavity, the fourth device being configured to measure a second property of the second thermally representative material.

15 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the third and fourth devices are thermocouples configured to measure temperatures of the first and second thermally representative materials, respectively.

16 . The assembly of claim 13 , further comprising:

a first structural member extending between the first upper cap and the second upper cap, wherein the first structural member is configured to arrange the first and second upper caps at a fixed distance apart; and

a second structural member extending between the first lower cap and the second lower cap, wherein the second structural member is configured to arrange the first and second lower caps at a fixed distance apart.

17 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first and second thermally representative materials comprises an ultrasound gel.

18 . The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the ultrasound gel has a specific gravity of 1.02.

19 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the upper cover portion and the lower cover portion are formed from a material having a mixture comprising a ratio of about 95% Shore 25A silicone elastomer and a ratio of about 5% graphite.

20 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the mid cover portion arranges the upper cover portion and the lower cover portion at a fixed distance apart.

21 . A method of thermally testing a mammalian heat transfer device, the method comprising:

obtaining a thermally representative phantom mammalian manikin assembly, comprising:

a cover portion at least partially enclosing a thermal cavity and having an aperture extending therethrough;

a thermally representative material configured to represent mammalian tissue and positioned within the thermal cavity; and

a thermocouple extending through the aperture and into the thermally representative material within the thermal cavity, wherein the thermocouple is configured to measure a temperature of a portion of the thermally representative material;

changing the thermal energy of the thermally representative phantom mammalian manikin assembly; and

measuring the change in temperature of the portion of the thermally representative material.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Nov 20, 2023
From: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
To: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 065629/0098 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2023
From: AARABI, SHAHRAM; GERMANY, JASON; SHASHEENDRA, ABHIJITH; MHETRE, KETAN SUNIL
To: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Reel/Frame 063327/0827 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63308875 · Feb 10, 2022
Related Publication 20230252913A1 · Aug 10, 2023
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