SMART SPRINGS AND THEIR COMBINATIONS

摘要

Springs of different types are provided with the ability to dynamically change stiffness. For one embodiment turning the elastic beams with elongated cross-section inside a leaf spring's housing plate, leaf springs stiffness is varied. Second embodiment springs made of hollow tubing filled with oil wherein inside pressure is changed by an actuated membrane or piston whose movement increases the hydrostatic pressure inside the tubing and expands the diameter of tubing, thereby varying its stiffness. Another embodiment features annular corrugated tubing which with the increase in inside pressure will lengthen, producing coil radius expansion and decrease in spring stiffness. Still another embodiment uses corrugated tubing inside a retaining cylinder; said tubing expands lengthwise when inside pressure is increasing but retaining cylinder forces the lengthening tubing to produce new coils inside of it resulting in spring length increase that is actuation and stiffness variability resulting from coil number variability.