Canted coil springs and assemblies and related methods

A method of forming a canted coil spring ring, said method comprising the steps:

• forming a first plurality of coils each having a first coil major axis, a first coil minor axis and a coil center defined by the intersection of said first coil major and minor axes;
• the plurality of coil centers resulting from said first plurality of coils defining a first centerline;
• canting each coil of said first plurality of coils along said first centerline;
• forming a second plurality of coils each having a second coil major axis, a second coil minor axis and a coil center defined by the intersection of said second coil major and minor axes;
• the plurality of coil centers resulting from said second plurality of coils defining a second centerline;
• canting each coil of said second plurality of coils along said second centerline;
• joining the ends of said first and second pluralities of coils to generate a coil spring ring comprising an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter with the inner perimeter defined by said first plurality of coils only;
• said inner perimeter having a minimum reachable inner perimeter, which is defined as a minimum value that can be reached without the first plurality of coils having butted;
• said minimum reachable inner perimeter being smaller than a minimum reachable inner perimeter of a constant coil cross section canted coil spring having a similar total number of coils and coil major and minor axes similar to those of either said first or second pluralities of coils;
• wherein the coils of said first plurality of coils and said second plurality of coils are alternated according to an alternating pattern;
• wherein said resulting configuration causes a portion of at least one coil of said second plurality of coils to be moved through at least one coil of said first plurality of coils under a state of deflection of said coil spring ring;
• and
• wherein the ends of said first and second pluralities of coils are joined by welding a center portion of a side coil, a center portion of a back coil, a portion of a coil located nearest to or at the inner perimeter, or a portion of a coil located nearest to or at the outer perimeter.

A canted coil spring ring comprising:

• a first plurality of coils each having a first coil major axis, a first coil minor axis and a coil center defined by the intersection of said first coil major and minor axes;
• a first centerline defined by the plurality of coil centers resulting from said first plurality of coils, and each coil of said first plurality of coils canted along said first centerline;
• a second plurality of coils each having a second coil major axis, a second coil minor axis and a coil center defined by the intersection of said second coil major and minor axes;
• a second centerline defined by the plurality of coil centers resulting from said second plurality of coils, and each coil of said second plurality of coils canted along said second centerline;
• a third plurality of coils each having a first coil major axis, a first coil minor axis and a coil center defined by the intersection of said first coil major and minor axes;
• a first centerline defined by the plurality of coil centers resulting from said first plurality of coils, and each coil of said third plurality of coils canted along said first centerline;
• wherein the coils of said first plurality of coils alternate with the coils of said second plurality of coils according to an alternating pattern;
• and
• wherein the spring ring comprises an inner perimeter defined by said first plurality of coils only.