Citation

Bishop P. J. Saf. Res. 1977; 9(4): 159-167.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The impact performance capabilities of ice hockey helmets were evaluated by subjecting three samples at each of the six different Canadian standards Association-approved helmet models to impact tests using a Hodgson head form and drop test apparatus. Each helmet was tested from a drop height of 0.6 m at the front, right side, and rear of locations. The output from a triaxial accelerometer, located at the center of gravity of the head form, was passed by a signal conditioner to an analog device, where the resultant deceleration was computed. The output voltage from the analog circuit was passed to a storage oscilloscope (triggered externally), where the resultant deceleration-time trace was stored and from which measurements of resultant peak deceleration, time to peak deceleration, and total impulse time were made. Test-retest reliability was r = 0.98. Analysis of the results revealed significant differences between helmets at each of the three test positions in terms of peak deceleration and average rate of peak deceleration. Gadd Severity Indices varied for different helmets at different positions, but were always less than 1000. The results further revealed differences in performance within a given helmet model at the three test locations. It was concluded that the response of the CSA-approved ice hockey helmets to impact is not uniform. Between helmets or within helmets at different test locations.