Multihelical composite spring

A helical spring comprising:

• a multi-helical unit including a number of layers of composite material disposed in a multi-helical configuration,
• the multi-helical unit including layers of at least a first strand, a second strand, a third strand, and a fourth strand of composite material;
• the first strand disposed in a first coiled configuration, the second strand disposed in a second coiled configuration, the third strand disposed over the first strand and the second strand, the third strand disposed in the first coiled configuration;
• the fourth strand disposed over the first strand, second strand, and third strand, the fourth strand disposed in the second coiled configuration;
• and
• the first strand, the second strand, the third strand, and the fourth strand interwoven and bonded together in a single spring unit.

A helical spring comprising:

• at least a first set of layers of composite material distributed in a first coiled configuration, the first coiled configuration extending from a first end to a second end;
• at least a second set of layers of composite material distributed in a second coiled configuration, the second coiled configuration extending from one end to another end;
• the first set of layers and the second set of layers interwoven and bonded together in a crisscross configuration, each layer of the first set of layers overlies a layer of the second set of layers at multiple intersections to form a single spring unit;
• and
• the composite material for the first set of layers and the second set of layers comprising a polymer matrix reinforced with a plurality of fibers.

A method for forming a spring comprising:

• winding m strands of material to form a first layer of material in a first helical configuration around a mandrel;
• winding p strands of material to form a second layer of the composite material coil around the first layer in a second helical configuration;
• repeating forming the first layer in the first helical configuration and forming the second layer in the second helical configuration n number of times;
• and
• coupling the layers of material together to form a single spring unit.

A method for forming a spring comprising:

• winding a first layer of a single strand of composite material in a first helical configuration around a mandrel;
• winding a second layer of the single strand of composite material coil around the first layer in a second helical configuration;
• winding a third layer of the single strand of composite material in a third helical configuration around the first layer and the second layer;
• repeating winding the first layer in the first helical configuration, winding the second layer in the second helical configuration, and winding the third layer in the third helical configuration n number of times;
• coupling the layers of the single strand of composite material together to form a single spring unit.