Bellows
AssigneeRatier-Figeac SAS
InventorChristian Fages
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Abstract
A bellows comprises a unitary bellows body extending from a first end to a second end in an axial direction. The stiffness of the bellows body varies in at least an axial direction.
Claims20
A joystick bellows comprising a unitary bellows body made from polymeric material, the bellows body having a varying stiffness obtained by a variation in the hardness of the polymeric material of the bellows body, wherein the bellows body extends from a first end to a second end in an axial direction, and the stiffness and hardness of the bellows body decreases in the axial direction from the first end to the second end of the bellows body.
A method of manufacturing a polymeric bellows body for a joystick, the bellows body having a variable stiffness, the method comprising:
- depositing bellows body polymeric material in successive layers in an additive manufacturing process, the hardness of the deposited bellows body polymeric material varying to provide the variable stiffness, comprising depositing the bellows body polymeric material such that the bellows body extends from a first end to a second end in an axial direction, and the stiffness and hardness of the bellows body decreases in an axial direction from the first end to the second end of the bellows body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.