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US 9,382,960 B2Granted
Beam-based nonlinear spring
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsJocelyn Maxine Kluger, Alexander Henry Slocum, Themistoklis Panagiotis Sapsis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Nonlinear spring. In one embodiment, the spring includes two opposed curved surfaces curving away from one another. A flexible cantilever member is disposed between the two opposed curved surfaces and a mass is attached to a free end of the cantilever member wherein the flexible cantilever member wraps around one of the curved surfaces as the cantilever member deflects to form a nonlinear spring. Energy harvesting devices and a load cell are also disclosed.
Claims4
A nonlinear load cell comprising:
- a first member further including a first symmetrical member with a left and a right curved surface;
- a second member displaced parallel to the first member and including a second symmetrical member with a left and a right curved surface, the first and second members having first and second anchor points to receive tensile or compressive forces;
- and
- a total of four cantilevered beams including a left and a right cantilever beam projecting out from center regions of both first and second members respectively;
- and left and right connection structures connecting left cantilever beam ends to each other and right cantilever beam ends to each other respectively.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.