Spring Seat Flange and Protrusion for Coil Spring Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing suspension assembling structures face difficulties in holding the coil spring during assembly, making the process cumbersome and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A suspension assembling structure featuring a spring seat with a protrusion and flange design that engages with the suspension link and coil spring, allowing for easy assembly by providing a secure fit and preventing displacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the coil spring is merely in abutted-engagement with the spring seat, then the suspension structure is simple, but the spring seat cannot be held during assembling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuspension structureVSAvoidholding spring seat during assembling
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The spring seat is segmented into functional components: a seating surface for the coil spring, a clamping mechanism with movable clamping members, and a mounting interface. This segmentation allows the spring seat to perform multiple functions (supporting and clamping the coil spring) while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The clamping mechanism incorporates movable clamping members that can dynamically adjust to grip the coil spring during assembly. The movable elements enable the spring seat to transition from a passive support structure to an active holding mechanism, solving the problem of securing the coil spring without adding complex external components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a complex holding mechanism is added to secure the coil spring, then the spring seat can be held during assembling, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveholding spring seat during assemblingVSAvoidsuspension structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping function is merged into the spring seat structure itself. The clamping members are integrated with the seat body, eliminating the need for separate holding devices or complex external mechanisms. This merging achieves effective coil spring retention while maintaining overall structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring seat performs self-clamping through its integrated movable clamping members that automatically engage with the coil spring during assembly. The structure serves its own holding function without requiring additional external mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while improving ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2524826B1Suspension assembling structure, spring seat, and suspension assembling method
Publication Date: 2017.10.11 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP2524826B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2524826B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2524826B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a suspension assembling structure, a suspension link has an engagement hole formed in a mounting face for a spring seat. The spring seat has a protrusion formed on the lower face of a seat body and configured to be brought into engagement with the suspension link by insertion into the engagement hole. Also, the spring seat has a flange formed on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion in a manner so as to radially protrude through a clearance space defined between adjacent wires of a coil spring, and configured to hold the wire of a first turn at the lower end of the coil spring, while being kept in abutted-engagement with the upper face of the first turn.