Leaf Spring Connection Piece for Progressive Spring Rate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leaf spring devices face challenges in suppressing weight and cost while achieving a low initial spring constant during upward deformation and a high spring constant as deformation progresses, often requiring shape changes or additional spring members.
Innovation Solution
A leaf spring device with a connection piece that is elastically deformable in the longitudinal direction, providing an initial urging force for upward deformation and reversing direction as deformation progresses, without altering the spring body shape or adding new members, allowing for adjustable elastic deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the shape of the leaf spring main body is changed to a specific shape or another spring member is newly provided, then the spring constant can be made low at an initial stage and then high when deformation progresses, but the weight and cost of the leaf spring device increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection piece is designed to be elastically deformable in the longitudinal direction, allowing it to change its stiffness characteristics through elastic deformation rather than through complex shape changes or additional components. The elastic restoring force of the connection piece provides the desired spring constant variation during the deformation process of the leaf spring main body.
2Force
If the shape of the leaf spring main body is changed to a specific shape or another spring member is newly provided, then the spring constant can be made low at an initial stage and then high when deformation progresses, but the cost of the leaf spring device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the spring constant control function into the existing connection piece by making it elastically deformable, rather than requiring separate spring members or complex shape modifications to the leaf spring main body. This integration reduces the number of components and simplifies the manufacturing process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the connection piece is made elastically deformable in the longitudinal direction, then the spring constant can be dynamically adjusted during deformation, but the structural complexity of the connection piece increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection piece achieves adaptable spring constant through elastic deformation of its material structure rather than through complex mechanical adjustments or multiple components. The elastic restoring force naturally varies with the deformation state, providing the desired adaptability through material properties rather than structural complexity.
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
This configuration enables a low initial spring constant that transitions to a high spring constant as deformation progresses, effectively managing weight and cost without shape changes or additional components.
Implementation Method 1
a connection portion of the leaf spring main body, at which the leaf spring main body is connected to the second eye portion, is urged by an elastic restoring force of the connection piece in a direction in which the connection portion is displaced along the longitudinal direction at an initial stage of a process in which the leaf spring main body is flexibly deformed upward
Data Source
AI summary
A leaf spring device includes a leaf spring main body, a first eye portion, a second eye portion provided, and a connection piece, the first eye portion is connected to a vehicle body to be rotatable around a first axis, the second eye portion is connected to the connection piece to be rotatable around a second axis, a central region of the leaf spring main body supports an axle, the leaf spring main body is provided to be flexibly deformable upward, and a connection portion of the leaf spring main body, at which the leaf spring main body is connected to the second eye portion, is urged by an elastic restoring force of the connection piece in a direction in which the connection portion is displaced along the longitudinal direction at an initial stage of a process in which the leaf spring main body is flexibly deformed upward.