ASTM F2397-04

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Contact ASTM
International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
An American National Standard
Designation: F 2397 – 04
Standard Specification for
Protective Headgear Used in Martial Arts
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 2397; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 4. Significance and Use
1.1 This specification covers performance requirements for The purpose of this specification is to provide reliable and
head protection used for training and competition in martial repeatable test methods for the evaluation of protective head-
arts such as karate, wushu, and taekwondo, where normal gear for martial arts training and competition. Injuries resulting
contact between participants may be repeated, but is limited to from accidentally hard hand-to-head impacts, foot-to-head
a level that is not intended to produce injury. These activities impacts, and head-to-ground impacts may be decreased in
typically take place in indoor or outdoor environments where severity and, in some cases, prevented. No headgear can
the temperature is moderate. This specification recognizes the protect against all impacts, foreseeable or not. Forces resulting
desirability of a lightweight and streamlined construction, and from strikes to the head due to kicks, punches, and falls are not
ventilation; however it is a performance specification, and is well understood. The mechanism of possible injury is not
not intended to restrict design. addressed in this specification.
1.2 All testing and requirements of this specification shall
5. Certification
be in accordance with Test Methods F 1446, except where
noted in this specification. 5.1 See Test Methods F 1446.
1.3 Partial utilization of this standard is prohibited. Any
6. Apparatus
statement of compliance with this specification shall be a
6.1 Test Headforms—Headforms to be used for the stability
certification that the product meets all of the requirements of
and falling impact tests in this specification are as defined in
the specification in its entirety. A product that fails to meet any
Test Methods F 1446. The appropriate size headform shall be
one of the requirements of this specification is considered to
selected for the headgear to be tested. For the striking impact
have failed the specification, and shall not be distributed or
tests in this specification, it is acceptable to use the appropriate
sold with any indication that it meets parts of the specification.
size Hybrid III head- and neck-forms.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
6.2 Stability Test Instruments and Equipment—Stability test
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
instruments and equipment shall be in accordance with the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
requirements of the roll-off test described in Test Methods
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
F 1446.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
6.3 Falling Impact Test Instruments and Equipment—
2. Referenced Documents
Impact test instruments and equipment for falling impact shall
be in accordance with the requirements of Test Methods
2.1 ASTM Standards:
F 1446 Test Methods for Equipment and Procedures Used F 1446, using the flat anvil described in Test Methods F 1446.
6.4 Striking Impact Instruments and Equipment—All tests
in Evaluating the Performance Characteristics of Protec-
tive Headgear for striking impact shall be performed with a Hybrid III
headform and neck. A tri-axial accelerometer capable of
3. Terminology
measuring impact of at least 1000-G and frequencies greater
3.1 See Test Methods F 1446. than 3 kHz, mounted at the center of mass of the headform,
shall be used to measure the resultant acceleration of the
headform. The headform and neck are to be rigidly connected
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F08 on Sports
at the neck to a 25-kg steel mass, and suspended head-down on
Equipment and Facilities and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F08.53 on
a flexible joint. The striker shall be an aluminum tube with a
Headgear and Helmets.
Current edition approved May 1, 2004. Published May 2004. length of 500 6 5 mm from its pivot point to the strike point,
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
extend an additional 50 6 5 mm beyond the strike point, and
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
have an external diameter of 80 6 5 mm. The mass of the tube
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
shall be 4.5 6 0.2 kg, uniformly distributed along its length.
the ASTM website.
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Contact ASTM
International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
F2397–04
The striker shall be loaded with a spring or a falling mass, such 9. Conditioning Environments
that when the striker is rotated back and released, it rotates
9.1 See Test Methods F 1446. Only the ambient, high
forward toward the headform and strikes it at the designated
temperature, and water immersion environments shall be used.
points. No force is to be applied to the striker by the spring or
falling mass once the striker rotates forward beyond the initial 10. Test Schedule
impact point, however, the striker must be free to rotate
10.1 One sample from each size group to be tested will be
forward after impact. Rotating the striker further backwards
inspected according to the schedule listed in Test Methods
before releasing it can increase the striking speed. The terminal
F 1446.
speed impact shall be measured within 100 mm of the point of
10.2 Two headgear will be assigned to the ambient condi-
free rotation. A schematic diagram of a typical striking impact
tioning environment. Two headgear will be assigned to each of
tester is shown in Fig. 1.
the other two conditioning environments.
10.3 Testing will be performed in the following order:
7. Samples for Testing
10.3.1 Retention test
10.3.2 Low-energy falling impact test.
7.1 Conditions and attachments in accordance with Test
10.3.3 High-energy falling impact test.
Methods F 1446.
10.3.4 Low-energy striking impact test.
7.2 Number of Samples—A test normally requires seven
10.3.5 High-energy striking impact test.
samples of each size. All testing may be done on two size
10.4 Testing must be complete 30 min after initial removal
groups only if the material, material thickness, and construc-
from the conditioning environment. Once testing has begun on
tion of all the sizes are the same, that is, differing in coverage
a sample, all tests on that sample must be completed within 3
area only. If only two size groups are tested, the sizes must
min. For each minute, or fraction thereof, this time limit is
represent the largest and smallest sizes that will fit the
exceeded, the sample must be returned to the conditioning
appropriate headform. If the material, material thickness, or
environment for an additional 5 min.
construction is different between each size, then all sizes must
be tested.
11. Test Methods
11.1 Reference Marking:
8. Calibration and Standardization
11.1.1 Place the headgear on the appropriate headform in
8.1 See Test Methods F 1446.
accordance with Test Methods F 1446. Pre-load with a ballast
of 5 kg.
11.1.2 Draw lines A-B-C-D-E on the headgear as shown in
Fig. 2. This represents the test line for impact in the frontal,
temporal, and occipital directions. Lines A-B-C and D-E are
parallel to the reference and basic planes. Line B-D is
co-planar with the coronal plane. The center of impact may be
selected to be anywhere on or between the test lines.
11.2 Configuration:
11.2.1 In general, the headgear shall be constructed to
reduce the acceleration of the wearer’s head and to remain on
the wearer’s head during and after impact. The headgear shall
also include the following features.
11.2.2 Openings—The headgear shall be designed so that
the ears have a connection to the environment to enable the
wearer to hear, as well as to prevent air pressure damage
caused by blows to the ear. There shall also be an alternate air
path for relieving pressure to the ears in case a blow to the ear
seals all of the connections. This alternate air path shall be
constructed such that a rigid 6-mm diameter rod can pass
unobstructed from each ear to the environment.
11.2.3 External Surface—The headgear must be cushioned
externally to prevent injury to the striking implement, presum-
ably a foot, hand, or another part of the body. The external
surfaces of the headgear, including any exposed hard buckles
or fasteners, shall be cushioned with the equivalent of at least
6 mm of a material with a maximum durometer hardness of 40
on the Shore A scale.
3 th
The Hybrid III 50 percentile male head corresponds to ASTM headform size
FIG. 1 Striking Impact Test. J.
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Contact ASTM
International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
F2397–04
ASTM X Y R S
Headform Size mm mm mm mm
A 24.0 89.7 38.0 7.0
E 26.0 96.0 39.0 8.0
J 27.5 102.5 41.0 8.0
M 29.0 107.0 41.0 8.0
O 31.0 110.0 42.0 9.0
FIG. 2 Marking the Test Line
11.3
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