Title 49

SECTION 572.125

572.125 Upper and lower torso assemblies and torso flexion test procedure.

§ 572.125 Upper and lower torso assemblies and torso flexion test procedure.

(a) Upper/lower torso assembly. The test objective is to determine the stiffness effects of the lumbar spine (drawing 127-3002), including cable (drawing 127-8095), mounting plate insert (drawing 910420-048), nylon shoulder bushing (drawing 9001373), nut (drawing 9001336), and abdominal insert (drawing 127-8210), on resistance to articulation between upper torso assembly (drawing 127-2000) and lower torso assembly (drawing 127-3000).

(b)(1) When the upper torso assembly of a seated dummy is subjected to a force continuously applied at the head to neck pivot pin level through a rigidly attached adaptor bracket as shown in Figure N5 according to the test procedure set out in paragraph (c) of this section, the lumbar spine-abdomen assembly shall flex by an amount that permits the upper torso assembly to translate in angular motion until the machined rear surface of the instrument cavity at the back of the thoracic spine box is at 45 ±0.5 degrees relative to the vertical transverse plane, at which time the force applied as shown in Figure N5 must be not less than 147 N (33 lbf) and not more than 200 N (45 lbf), and

(2) Upon removal of the force, the torso assembly must return to within 8 degrees of its initial position.

(1) Soak the dummy in a controlled environment at any temperature between 18.9 and 25.6 °C (66 and 78 °F) and a relative humidity between 10 and 70 percent for at least four hours prior to a test.

(2) Attach the dummy (with or without the legs below the femurs) to the fixture in a seated posture as shown in Figure N5.

(3) Secure the pelvis at the pelvis instrument cavity rear face by threading four 1/4 in cap screws into the available threaded attachment holes. Tighten the mountings so that the test material is rigidly affixed to the test fixture and the pelvic-lumbar joining surface is horizontal.

(4) Flex the thorax forward three times between vertical and until the torso reference plane, as shown in figure N5, reaches 30 ±2 degrees from vertical. Bring the torso to vertical orientation, remove all externally applied flexion forces, and wait 30 minutes before conducting the test. During the 30-minute waiting period, the dummy's upper torso shall be externally supported at or near its vertical orientation to prevent sagging.

(5) Remove the external support and wait two minutes. Measure the initial orientation of the torso reference plane of the seated, unsupported dummy as shown in Figure N5. This initial torso orientation angle may not exceed 22 degrees.

(6) Attach the loading adapter bracket to the spine of the dummy, the pull cable, and the load cell as shown in Figure N5.

(7) Apply a tension force in the midsagittal plane to the pull cable as shown in Figure N5 at any upper torso deflection rate between 0.5 and 1.5 degrees per second, until the torso reference plane is at 45 ±0.5 degrees of flexion relative to the vertical transverse plane as shown in Figure N5.

(8) Continue to apply a force sufficient to maintain 45 ±0.5 degrees of flexion for 10 seconds, and record the highest applied force during the 10-second period.

(9) Release all force as rapidly as possible, and measure the return angle at 3 minutes or any time thereafter after the release.