[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 6]
[Revised as of October 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR572.85]

[Page 951-952]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                   CHAPTER V--NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC
                    SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT
                            OF TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 572_ANTHROPOMORPHIC TEST DEVICES--Table of Contents
 
                       Subpart J_9-Month Old Child
 
Sec.  572.85  Lumbar spine flexure.

    (a) When subjected to continuously applied force in accordance with 
paragraph (b) of this section, the lumbar spine assembly shall flex by 
an amount that permits the thoracic spine to rotate from its initial 
position in accordance with Figure No. 18 of Sec.  572.21 (49 CFR part 
572) by 40 degrees at a force level of not less than 18 pounds and not 
more than 22 pounds, and straighten upon removal of the force to within 
5 degrees of its initial position.
    (b) Test procedure. (1) The lumbar spine flexure test is conducted 
on a dummy assembly as shown in drawing LP 1049/A, but with the arms 
(which consist of parts identified as items 17 through 30) and all head-
neck parts (identified as items 1 through 13 and 59 through 63), 
removed.
    (2) With the torso assembled in an upright position, adjust the 
lumbar cable by tightening the adjustment nut for the lumbar vertebrae 
until the spring is compressed to \2/3\ of its unloaded length.
    (3) Position the dummy in an upright seated position on a seat as 
indicated in Figure No. 18 of Sec.  572.21 (lower legs do not need to be 
removed, but must be clamped firmly to the seating surface), ensuring 
that all dummy component surfaces are clean, dry and untreated unless 
otherwise specified.
    (4) Firmly affix the dummy to the seating surface through the pelvis 
at the hip joints by suitable clamps that also prevent any relative 
motion with respect to the upper legs during the test in Sec.  
572.65(c)(3) of this part. Install a pull attachment at the neck to 
torso juncture as shown in Figure 18 of Sec.  572.21.
    (5) Flex the thorax forward 50 degrees and then rearward as 
necessary to return it to its initial position.
    (6) Apply a forward pull force in the midsagittal plane at the top 
of the

[[Page 952]]

neck adapter so that at 40 degrees of the lumbar spine flexion the 
applied force is perpendicular to the thoracic spine box. Apply the 
force at any torso deflection rate between 0.5 and 1.5 degrees per 
second up to 40 degrees of flexion but no further; maintain 40 degrees 
of flexion for 10 seconds, and record the highest applied force during 
that time. Release all force as rapidly as possible and measure the 
return angle three minutes after release.