Plastic Spring Element Layout for Greater Deflection Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spring elements for supporting seats or lying surfaces have limited spring deflection, which restricts their ability to provide adequate support without compromising stability, and they often require complex geometries and materials to achieve increased deflection.
Innovation Solution
The spring arms are positioned at a distance from the lower support surface, allowing for increased deflection without instability, and the use of non-resilient spacers and detachable components enables adjustable spring height and stability, allowing for a simpler and cost-effective design with enhanced spring travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the spring arms are positioned close to the lower support surface, then the spring element remains stable, but the spring deflection is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arms are positioned laterally offset from the vertical spring axis, creating a horizontal dimension for attachment. This lateral positioning allows the spring arms to deflect vertically through a greater distance while the horizontal offset provides structural stability, effectively resolving the contradiction between stability and deflection range.
2Volume of stationary object
If the spring arms overlap with the base, then the structure is compact, but the spring deflection is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arms extend in a direction transverse to the spring axis, utilizing the horizontal dimension for their attachment and extension. This dimensional separation allows the spring arms to move vertically through a larger range without requiring vertical space that would overlap with the base, thus increasing deflection while maintaining compact vertical profile.
3Length of stationary object
If the support part overlaps with the base, then the overall height is reduced, but the spring height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support part is positioned laterally offset from the vertical spring axis, creating horizontal separation between the support part and base. This lateral positioning allows the spring element to achieve greater vertical spring height while the support part can be lowered without overlapping the base in the vertical dimension, thus increasing spring height while controlling overall height.
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 design achieves a significant increase in spring deflection, potentially doubling the spring height while maintaining stability, and allows for customizable spring element heights without altering the spring body, enhancing both support and manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element for supporting a seat or lying surface with a base having a lower support surface, a support part having an upper support surface and a spring body arranged between the base and the support part
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The element has a base (2) and a supporting part (4) comprising a lower support surface (1) and an upper support surface (3), respectively. Spring bodies (5) are arranged between the base and the supporting part. The base comprises a top face (7) that is arranged at a distance to the lower supporting surface. Spring arms (6) are arranged at the base at another distance to the lower supporting surface, where the latter distance is larger than zero and smaller than or equal to the former distance. The latter distance is 15-20 mm. The element is made of plastic.