Manufacturing method for canted-coil spring with turn angle and seal

• US 4,961,253 A
• Filed: 12/13/1988
• Issued: 10/09/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Joan C. Balsells, Peter J. Balsells
• Inventors: Balsells, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Echols, P. W.
• Application Number:
  US07/283,912
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 29/173, 267/1.5, 267/166, 267/167, 267/180, 277/157, 277/158, 277/163, 277/164, 277/205, 277/206, 277/235
• US Class Current: 29/896.9
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/04 Wound springs making springs by coiling wire B21F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/045 Canted-coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/025 and with at least one flexible lip
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/0893 the packing having a hollow profile
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/344 the pressing force being applied by means of an elastic ring supporting the slip-ring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49609 Spring making

Abstract

A garter-type axially resilient coil spring includes a plurality of coils canted along a centerline thereof with each coil having a trailing portion and a leading portion. The disposition of the trailing portion is defined by a back angle between the trailing portion and a line normal to the centerline and the disposition of the leading portion is defined by a front angle between the leading portion and a normal line. Specific resilient performance, or load-characteristics, of the springs are obtained by controlling a turn angle of the coil spring. At selected turn angles, springs exhibit a resilient working area bounded by steep load-deflection characteristics.

Claims

1. A method for making a garter-type axially resilient coiled spring comprising the steps of:

fabricating a wire to produce coils canted with respect to a centerline of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring, each coil having a leading portion and trailing portion, said leading portion being disposed at a front angle to a line normal to a centerline of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring and said trailing portion being disposed at a back angle to the normal line;

during fabricating of the wire, adjusting the magnitude of the back angle in order to achieve preselected load-deflection characteristics of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring; and

attaching two ends of the wound wire in a manner forming a garter-type axially resilient coiled spring with an orientation defined by a turn angle in order to achieve selected load-deflection characteristics of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring, said turn angle being greater than zero degrees and less than 90 degrees.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the two ends of the wound wire are attached forming a garter-type axially resilient coiled spring with the trailing portion along the inside diameter of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring and the leading portion along the outside diameter of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the magnitude of back angle is adjusted to between about one degree and about 45 degrees.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the magnitude front angle is adjusted to less than about 35 degrees.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the turn angle is selected to provide a load-deflection characteristics having a saddle shape.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the turn angle is greater than about 15 degrees.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the turn angle is greater than about 60 degrees.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the two ends of the wound wire are attached forming a garter-type axially resilient coiled spring with the leading portion along the inside diameter of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring and the trailing portion along the outside diameter of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring.

9. A method for making a garter-type axially resilient coiled spring comprising the steps of:

fabricating a wire to produce coils canted with respect to a centerline of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring, each coil having a leading portion and a trailing portion, said leading portion being disposed at a front angle to a line normal to a centerline of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring and said trailing portion being disposed at a back angle to the normal line;

during fabricating of the wire, adjusting the magnitude of the back angle in order to achieve preselected load-deflection characteristics of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring; and

attaching two ends of the wound wire in a manner forming a garter-type axially resilient coiled spring with an orientation defined by a turn angle in order to achieve selected load-deflection characteristics of the garter-type axially resilient coiled spring, said turn angle being greater than zero degrees and less than 90 degrees; and

disposing said garter-type axially resilient coiled spring in an annular seal having a cavity for supporting and orienting said garter-type axially resilient coiled spring with a turn angle of greater than zero degrees and less than 90 degrees.