Fiber Composite Leaf Spring with Integrated Bearing Eyes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional leaf springs with integrated bearing eyes are costly to produce due to the use of multiple materials and complex manufacturing processes, and they often fail to withstand prolonged alternating loads in vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A leaf spring made entirely of fiber composite material, where prepreg strips are cut and shaped to form a bearing eye during the manufacturing process, allowing for cost-effective production and enhanced durability by integrating the bearing eye within a single material system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional leaf springs use multiple materials (metal strips and rigid plastics core) to form bearing eyes, then the structural complexity is increased, but the production cost increases and manufacturing labor intensity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by using a single fiber composite material for the entire leaf spring structure, including the bearing eyes. The fiber reinforcement elements are integrated directly into the composite material layers, eliminating the need for separate metal strips and rigid plastics cores. This single-material approach maintains structural strength while reducing complexity in material composition and integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite materials by incorporating fiber reinforcement elements (such as glass fibers, carbon fibers, or aramid fibers) within the fiber composite material layers. These fiber reinforcements provide the necessary strength and stiffness for the bearing eyes while maintaining compatibility with the composite material matrix, thereby achieving high strength without requiring heterogeneous material assemblies.
2Reliability
If conventional leaf springs use complex wrapping processes to form bearing eyes, then the bearing eye integration is achieved, but the production time increases and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the fiber reinforcement elements within the fiber composite material layers before the final curing process. The bearing eye geometry is defined by the arrangement of fiber reinforcements and the molding process, allowing the bearing eyes to form integrally with the leaf spring body during a single curing cycle, thereby eliminating subsequent wrapping operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the bearing eye formation process with the main leaf spring curing process. By integrating the fiber reinforcement elements into the composite material layers and curing the entire structure in one operation, the patent combines multiple manufacturing steps into a single process, thereby improving productivity and reducing labor costs.
3Shape
If conventional leaf springs use rigid plastics cores between metal strips, then the bearing eye structure is formed, but the resistance to prolonged alternating loads is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by using fiber reinforcement elements embedded within the fiber composite material layers to form the bearing eye structure. The fiber reinforcements (glass, carbon, or aramid fibers) provide superior fatigue resistance and strength-to-weight ratio compared to rigid plastics cores, enabling the bearing eyes to withstand prolonged alternating loads while maintaining the required geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses homogeneous fiber composite material throughout the leaf spring structure, including the bearing eyes. This uniform material composition ensures consistent mechanical properties and fatigue resistance across the entire structure, eliminating the weak interfaces and stress concentration points that occur at the boundaries of heterogeneous material assemblies.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fiber composite leaf spring effectively absorbs and converts static and dynamic forces into tensile and compressive stresses, reducing production costs and improving resistance to operational loads, while maintaining a simplified production process.
Implementation Method 1
The fiber composite leaf spring effectively absorbs and converts static and dynamic forces into tensile and compressive stresses
Implementation Method 2
Next the crude leaf spring is hardened in a suitable mold, with the application of a setting temperature and setting pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A leaf spring made of a fiber composite material having integrated bearing holes and a method for producing is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of cutting prepreg strips of a predetermined length from a prepreg strand, removing cut-outs from the particular prepreg strip in the axial ends where a bearing hole should be formed, laying a plurality of prepreg strips one over the other in a prepreg stack in alternation so that the surfaces of the prepreg strips are flush to form a raw leaf spring forming a bearing hole by deforming an axial end of the prepreg stack in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal extension (L) and perpendicular to the transverse extension (B) of the prepreg stack, setting the raw sheet spring to form the finished leaf spring in a mold with a suitable setting pressure and a suitable setting temperature.