Polymer spring

A spring, comprising

• a hollow tubular polymer body,
• the body having a first end portion, a second end portion, a mid-portion connecting the first end portion to the second end portion, a center axis extending between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body, an inner surface extending around and facing the center axis between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body, and an outer surface extending around the center axis between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body,
• the body having a length from the first end portion to the second end portion,
• the inner surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body being bowed inwardly towards the center axis when the spring is in a non-compressed state, and
• the body having means for guarding against failure of the spring due to buckling or folding of the body by causing the body of the spring to substantially maintain an annular cylindrical column structure throughout the length of the body from the first end portion of the body to the second end portion of the body, such that the mid-portion of the body has a substantial portion that is in direct alignment with the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body when the spring is compressed until at least a predetermined maximum compression designed or a predetermined use of the spring is reached.

A spring, comprising

• a hollow tubular polymer body,
• the body having a first end portion, a second end portion, a mid-portion connecting the first end portion to the second end portion, a center axis extending between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body, an inner surface extending around and facing the center axis between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body, and an outer surface extending around the center axis between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body,
• the body having a length from the first end portion to the second end portion,
• the inner surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body being bowed inwardly towards the center axis when the spring is in a non-compressed state,
• the outer surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body being bowed outwardly away from the center axis when the spring is in a non-compressed state,
• the inner surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body moving from being bowed inwardly towards the center axis to being further bowed inwardly towards the center axis as compression on the spring increases, and
• the outer surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body moving from being bowed outwardly away from the center axis towards being bowed inwardly towards the center axis as compression on the spring increases.

A spring, comprising

• a hollow tubular polymer body,
• the body having a first end portion, a second end portion, a mid-portion connecting the first end portion to the second end portion, a center axis extending between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body, an inner surface extending around and facing the center axis between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body, and an outer surface extending around the center axis between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body,
• the body having a length from the first end portion to the second end portion,
• the inner surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body being bowed inwardly towards the center axis when the spring is in a non-compressed state,
• the outer surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body being bowed outwardly away from the center axis when the spring is in a non-compressed state,
• the inner surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body moving from being bowed inwardly towards the center axis to being further bowed inwardly towards the center axis as compression on the spring increases, and
• the outer surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body moving from being bowed outwardly away from the center axis to being further bowed outwardly away from the center axis as compression on the spring increases.

A spring comprising

• a hollow tubular polymer body,
• the body having a first end portion, a second end portion, a center axis extending between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body, and an inner surface extending around and facing the center axis between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body,
• the inner surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body being bowed inwardly towards the center axis when the spring is in a non-compressed state, and
• the inner surface of the body between the first end portion of the body and the second end portion of the body moving from being bowed inwardly towards the center axis towards being bowed outwardly away from the center axis as compression on the spring increases.