[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 16, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 16CFR1203.4]
[Page 216-217]
TITLE 16--COMMERCIAL PRACTICES
CHAPTER II--CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
PART 1203--SAFETY STANDARD FOR BICYCLE HELMETS--Table of Contents
Subpart A--The Standard
Sec. 1203.4 Definitions.
(a) Basic plane means an anatomical plane that includes the auditory
meatuses (the external ear openings) and the inferior orbital rims (the
bottom edges of the eye sockets). The ISO headforms are marked with a
plane corresponding to this basic plane (see Figures 1 and 2 of this
part).
(b) Bicycle helmet means any headgear that either is marketed as, or
implied through marketing or promotion to be, a device intended to
provide protection from head injuries while riding a bicycle.\2\
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\2\ Helmets specifically marketed for exclusive use in a designated
activity, such as skateboarding, rollerblading, baseball, roller hockey,
etc., would be excluded from this definition because the specific focus
of their marketing makes it unlikely that such helmets would be
purchased for other than their stated use. However, a multi-purpose
helmet--one marketed or represented as providing protection either
during general use or in a variety of specific activities other than
bicycling--would fall within the definition of bicycle helmet if a
reasonable consumer could conclude, based on the helmet's marketing or
representations, that bicycling is among the activities in which the
helmet is intended to be used. In making this determination, the
Commission will consider the types of specific activities, if any, for
which the helmet is marketed, the similarity of the appearance, design,
and construction of the helmet to other helmets marketed or recognized
as bicycle helmets, and the presence, prominence, and clarity of any
warnings, on the helmet or its packaging or promotional materials,
against the use of the helmet as a bicycle helmet. A multi-purpose
helmet marketed without specific reference to the activities in which
the helmet is to be used will be presumed to be a bicycle helmet. The
presence of warnings or disclaimers advising against the use of a multi-
purpose helmet during bicycling is a relevant, but not necessarily
controlling, factor in the determination of whether a multi-purpose
helmet is a bicycle helmet.
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(c) Comfort or fit padding means resilient lining material used to
configure the helmet for a range of different head sizes.
(d) Coronal plane is an anatomical plane perpendicular to both the
basic and midsagittal planes and containing the midpoint of a line
connecting the right and left auditory meatuses. The ISO headforms are
marked with a transverse plane corresponding to this coronal plane (see
Figures 1 and 2 of this part).
(e) Field of vision is the angle of peripheral vision allowed by the
helmet when positioned on the reference headform.
(f) Helmet positioning index (``HPI'') is the vertical distance from
the brow of the helmet to the reference plane, when placed on a
reference headform. This vertical distance shall be specified by the
manufacturer for each size of each model of the manufacturer's helmets,
for the appropriate size of headform for each helmet, as described in
Sec. 1203.10.
(g) Midsagittal plane is an anatomical plane perpendicular to the
basic plane and containing the midpoint of the line connecting the
notches of the right and left inferior orbital ridges and the midpoint
of the line connecting the superior rims of the right and left auditory
meatuses. The ISO headforms are marked with a longitudinal plane
corresponding to the midsagittal plane (see Figures 1 and 2 of this
part).
(h) Modular elastomer programmer (``MEP'') is a cylindrical pad,
typically consisting of a polyurethane rubber, used as a consistent
impact medium for the systems check procedure. The MEP shall be 152 mm
(6 in) in diameter, and 25 mm (1 in) thick and shall have a durometer of
602 Shore A. The MEP shall be affixed to the top surface of
a flat 6.35 mm (\1/4\ in) thick aluminum plate. See Sec. 1203.17(b)(1).
(i) Preload ballast is a ``bean bag'' filled with lead shot that is
placed on the helmet to secure its position on the headform. The mass of
the preload ballast is 5 kg (11 lb).
(j) Projection is any part of the helmet, internal or external, that
extends beyond the faired surface.
(k) Reference headform is a headform used as a measuring device and
contoured in the same configuration as one of the test headforms A, E,
J, M, and O defined in draft ISO DIS 6220-1983. The reference headform
shall include surface markings corresponding to the basic, coronal,
midsagittal, and reference planes (see Figures 1 and 2 of this part).
(l) Reference plane is a plane marked on the ISO headforms at a
specified distance above and parallel to the basic plane (see Figure 3
of this part).
(m) Retention system is the complete assembly that secures the
helmet in a stable position on the wearer's head.
(n) Shield means optional equipment for helmets that is used in
place of goggles to protect the eyes.
(o) Spherical impactor is an impact fixture used in the instrument
system check of Sec. 1203.17(b)(1) to test the impact-attenuation test
equipment for precision and accuracy. The spherical impactor shall be a
146 mm (5.75 in) diameter aluminum sphere mounted on the ball-arm
connector of the drop assembly. The total mass of the spherical-impactor
drop assembly shall be 5.00.1 kg (11.00.22 lb).
(p) Test headform is a solid model in the shape of a human head of
sizes A, E, J, M, and O as defined in draft ISO/DIS 6220-1983. Headforms
used for the impact-attenuation test shall be constructed of low-
resonance K-1A magnesium alloy. The test headforms shall include surface
markings corresponding to the basic, coronal, midsagittal, and reference
planes (see Figure 2 of this part).
(q) Test region is the area of the helmet, on and above a specified
impact test line, that is subject to impact testing.
[[Page 218]]