Rolling element spring
AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorsLuiz Siqueira Granja Junior, Rudoniel Cury, Marcelo Mariano Mariano Zavanella, Gustavo dos Santos Gioria
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spring configured to compress, expand, and provide a force is provided that includes a first ring, a second ring, a third ring, a first plurality of rolling elements arranged between the first and second rings, and a second plurality of rolling elements arranged between the first and third rings. When the spring is compressed, the first ring is configured to be elastically deformed in tension in a radially outwardly direction, and the second and third rings are configured to be elastically deformed in compression in a radially inwardly direction.
Claims20
A spring configured to compress, expand, and provide a force, the spring comprising:
- a first ring;
- a second ring, at least a portion of the second ring disposed within the first ring;
- a third ring, at least a portion of the third ring disposed within the first ring;
- a first plurality of rolling elements arranged between the at least a portion of the second ring and the first ring;
- and,
- a second plurality of rolling elements arranged between the at least a portion of the third ring and the first ring.
A spring configured to compress, expand, and provide a force, the spring comprising:
- a first ring;
- a second ring;
- at least a portion of the second ring disposed within the first ring;
- a third ring;
- at least a portion of the third ring disposed within the first ring;
- a first plurality of rolling elements arranged between the at least a portion of the second ring and the first ring;
- a second plurality of rolling elements arranged between the at least a portion of the third ring and the first ring;
- and,
- compressing the spring:
- i) moves the first plurality of rolling elements to radially expand the first ring and radially compress the second ring;
- and, ii) moves the second plurality of rolling elements to radially expand the first ring and radially compress the third ring.
A piston for an internal combustion engine, the piston comprising:
- a central axis;
- a top portion configured to receive a force of combustion;
- a bottom portion forming a chamber with the top portion;
- a spring arranged within the chamber and configured to compress or expand to change a compression ratio of the internal combustion engine, the spring comprising:
- a first ring having a first conical portion and a second conical portion;
- a second ring engaging the top portion, at least a portion of the second ring disposed within the first conical portion;
- and,
- a third ring engaging the bottom portion, at least portion of the third ring disposed within the second conical portion, and
- a first diameter of the first conical portion decreasing in magnitude in a first axial direction;
- and,
- a second diameter of the second conical portion increasing in magnitude in the first axial direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.