Canted-coil spring loaded while in a cavity

• US 5,108,078 A
• Filed: 01/11/1990
• Issued: 04/28/1992
• 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): Butler, Douglas C.
• Application Number:
  US07/463,480
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 267/167, 267/1.5, 267/180, 277/163, 277/164, 277/205
• US Class Current: 267/167
• 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

Abstract

A canted coil spring assembly includes a plurality of coils having a major and a minor axis and canted along a centerline defined by an intersection of the major and minor axis. A trailing portion of each coil is defined by a back angle which determines the load deflection characteristics of the canted coil assembly. A leading portion of each coil is defined by a front angle and a plurality of coils are non-invasively supported in a preselected orientation for controlling the resilient characteristics of the coils.

Claims

1. Canted coil spring assembly comprising:

a plurality of coils having a major and a minor axis and canted along a centerline defined by an intersection of the major and minor axis;

back angle means for both defining the disposition of a trailing portion of each coil with respect to a line normal to the centerline and for determining the load-deflection characteristics of the canted coil spring assembly;

front angle means for defining the disposition of a leading portion of each coil with respect to the normal line, said front angle means being greater than said back angle means; and

means for non-invasively supporting the plurality of coils in an orientation for controlling the resilient characteristics of the plurality of coils.

2. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 1 wherein said coils are interconnected in a manner forming a garter-type resilient canted coil spring and said means for non-invasively supporting the garter-type resilient coil spring includes means defining cavity means for deflecting the spring along a minor axis thereof and enabling said garter-type resilient coil spring to be loaded along the major axis thereof.

3. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for non-invasively supporting the garter-type axially resilient coil spring includes means defining a cavity means for deflecting the spring along a major axis thereof and enabling said garter-type resilient coil spring to be loaded along the major axis thereof.

4. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for non-invasively supporting the garter-type axially resilient coil spring includes means defining a cavity for supporting and orienting said garter-type resilient coiled spring with a turn angle of greater than zero degrees and less than 90 degrees.

5. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4. wherein the trailing portion is disposed along an outside diameter of the garter-type resilient canted coil spring and the leading portion is disposed along an inside diameter of the garter-type resilient coiled spring.

6. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the trailing portion is disposed along an inside diameter of the garter-type resilient coiled spring and the leading portion is disposed along an outside diameter of the garter-type resilient coiled spring.

7. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 1 wherein the back angle is selected to provide a load-deflection characteristics in which the load remains relatively constant within a working deflection.

8. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 1 wherein the back angle means defines the trailing portion at a disposition with back angle, with respect to the normal line of greater than zero degrees.

9. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 8 wherein the front angle means defines the leading portion at a disposition with a front angle, with respect to the normal line of greater than zero degrees.

10. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 2 wherein said cavity means has a width at most equal to the coil height.

11. The canted coil spring assembly according to claim 2 wherein said cavity means has a width greater than the coil height and less than the coil width.