Friction-Resistant Coated Spring End Mounts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nested spring systems face reliability issues due to single-point failures, excessive wear, and stress concentrations at hook attachments, leading to potential system failure under high loads and abrasive materials like Titanium.
Innovation Solution
A dual-spring system with end-mounts featuring cylindrical grooves and keyholes, where an outer spring encases an inner spring, secured using grooves with increased pitch and friction-resistant coatings to prevent slippage and wear, eliminating the need for fasteners and reducing stress concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nested springs are used to provide redundancy and increase safety, then reliability is improved, but wear and stress concentrations at contact points worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing one spring inside another spring, creating a compact dual-spring system where the inner spring is surrounded by the outer spring. This nesting arrangement provides redundancy and increased reliability while maintaining a compact structure, directly addressing the need for improved system reliability through redundant spring elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary friction-resistant coating on the grooves of the end mounts. This coating acts as a mediator between the spring and the mount, reducing wear and stress concentrations at the contact interface. The coating specifically addresses the harmful wear effects that occur at acute contact points in nested spring systems.
2Strength
If springs are secured using traditional fasteners, then attachment strength is improved, but device complexity and stress concentrations worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the fasteners from the spring mounting system. Instead of using traditional fasteners to secure the springs to the end mounts, the design relies on the friction-resistant coated grooves and spring tension to maintain the attachment. This removal of fasteners simplifies the device structure and reduces stress concentrations associated with fastener holes and connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mounting system is designed to be self-securing through the interaction between the spring tension and the friction-resistant coated grooves. The spring's own tension force, combined with the high-friction coating, automatically secures the spring to the end mount without requiring external fasteners. This self-service mechanism reduces complexity while maintaining attachment strength.
3Reliability
If groove pitch is increased to match spring pitch for secure mounting, then attachment reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the groove pitch parameter to be greater than the spring pitch, creating a deliberate parameter mismatch rather than requiring exact matching. This parameter change allows the spring to be securely mounted through the grooves while accommodating reasonable manufacturing tolerances. The friction-resistant coating further compensates for any pitch variations, reducing the stringency of precision requirements.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If friction-resistant coating is applied to grooves, then wear resistance is improved, but manufacturing complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a friction-resistant coating material to the groove surfaces, creating a composite structure where the base mount material is enhanced with a surface layer having superior friction and wear properties. This composite approach significantly improves the durability and wear resistance of the stationary mount while the coating application process, though additional, remains a standard manufacturing technique.
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 dual-spring system enhances safety and reliability by distributing stress, reducing wear, and preventing slippage, while maintaining a secure attachment without fasteners, thus increasing the system's strength and natural frequency, reducing the risk of failure.
Implementation Method 1
a friction-resistant coating is applied to the grooves of the end mounts to increase the coefficient of friction and improve the quality of attachment of the spring to the end mounts
Implementation Method 2
As the spring is tensioned the increased inward forces of the spring hold the spring on the end mount in a fashion similar to a Chinese finger trap
Data Source
AI summary
End mounts are used to secure a helical tension spring to end fixtures with various shapes and sizes. These end mounts contain an inner hole to encase the inner spring end mount and secure the end mount making it like a cap. There is also a keyhole created in the top surface that goes through the end mount allowing it to fit over the fixtures but not over the inner end mount, holding it in place. Grooves are machined in a helical pattern on the cylindrical side wall of the end mount. The spring is wound onto the grooves of the end mount. A friction-resistant coating is applied between components of the assembly to mitigate wear and to prevent bending and twisting.