Long travel, high force combination spring
AssigneeDanly IEM, LLC
InventorsVictor Chun, Brian Taylor, Alexander Leibman, Michael Hajjar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A long travel, varying spring rate combination spring includes two differing rate springs connected end-to-end in such a way that the lower rate spring is compressed until positive engagement of a plunger with an intermediate flange member occurs with the higher rate spring thereafter compressed. Each spring may be assembled separately and connected together with a coupling to create a combination spring, allowing various springs to be combined to meet the requirements of a particular application.
Claims14
A long travel, high force combination spring comprising:
- a first elongated spring;
- a second elongated spring having a different spring rate from said first elongated compression spring;
- said first and second spring arranged end-to-end with an interposed intermediate flange member engaging juxtaposed ends of said first and second springs;
- a respective end flange member engaged with an opposite end of each spring;
- said intermediate flange member and each end flange member having a driving interconnection therebetween preventing further separation of said flange members from an initial condition but allowing compressing relative movement of each flange member towards said intermediate flange member to compress said first or second coil spring;
- and
- a plunger fixed to one of said end flange members associated with one of said springs and projecting within said associated spring towards said intermediate flange member, said plunger contacting said intermediate flange member after a predetermined travel and thereafter upon further movement compressing the other spring.
A method of making a combination spring comprised two different rate springs comprising:
- separately assembling each spring between a set of flange members to form two spring assemblies;
- interconnecting said flange members in each spring assembly to be restrained from separating but allowed to be moved together to compress said associated spring;
- and, connecting one flange in each separate spring assembly together to create a combination spring comprised of said two different springs arranged end-to-end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.