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US 2013/0096887 A1Published application
Polymer Spring and Method for Designing Same
AssigneeTicona LLC
InventorsJameson Fee, Jill Higgins
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Abstract
Polymer springs are described having a closed cell geometry. The polymer springs are well adapted for replacing metal springs in various applications, such as in seat cushions. In one embodiment, the polymer springs include columns of closed cells, in which each cell has a curvilinear shape. A method for designing polymer springs is also described.
Claims28
A polymer spring comprising:
- a metal-free spring member made from a polymer material, the spring member comprising a network of interconnected closed cells, the cells being arranged in the network in columns that are configured to receive a compressive force, the cells being formed from rows of wave-like structural members, the wave-like structural members including valleys and peaks in an alternating arrangement, the wave-like structural members being interconnected such that the peaks of one row are connected to the valleys of an adjacent row in a manner such that one column of cells is offset and nested with an adjacent column of cells, the polymer material having an elastic modulus of from about 800 MPa to about 1500 MPa.
A method of designing a polymer spring, the polymer spring including a plurality of closed cells that are configured to receive a compressive force, the method comprising:
- selecting a polymer material to form the spring, the polymer material having a true stress verses strain curve;
- converting the true stress verses strain curve for the polymer material into a true stress verses plastic strain curve;
- inputting data regarding the true stress verses plastic strain curve into a computer simulation of the polymer spring, the computer simulation being configured to generate a force displacement curve based on inputted cell dimensions and an inputted deflection distance;
- adjusting at least one cell dimension within the computer simulation until a desired force displacement result is obtained;
- and
- constructing a polymer spring based on the resulting cell dimensions.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.