A composite coil spring includes a coil body that extends along a coiled axis. The coil body includes a polymer matrix and, disposed in the polymer matrix, a carbon fiber core and a plurality of fiber layers wrapped around the carbon fiber core in alternating oblique fiber angles to the coiled axis. The fiber layers include, from inside-out starting from the carbon fiber core, at least two consecutive carbon fiber intermediate fiber layers of alternating oblique fiber angles to the coiled axis, immediately followed by at least two consecutive glass fiber intermediate fiber layers of alternating oblique fiber angles to the coiled axis, and immediately followed by a carbon fiber outermost fiber layer.

A wave spring comprises fiber in a thermoplastic resin matrix, and includes one or more annular wave-springs elements, or one or more curvilinear wave-spring elements. The annular wave-spring elements, which are arrayed in a stack, are not coupled to one another. A wave spring comprising annular wave-spring elements includes an alignment feature for establishing and maintaining the alignment of the wave spring elements. In a wave spring including curvilinear wave-spring elements, a first end of each curvilinear wave-spring element is attached to a first member and a second end of each curvilinear wave-spring element is attached to a second member, the plurality of curvilinear wave-spring elements being disposed between the two members. The plurality of curvilinear wave-spring elements in the array are positioned side by side, the array extending laterally along a length of the first member and second member, and providing a low-profile wave spring.

A wave spring comprises fiber in a thermoplastic resin matrix, and includes one or more annular wave-springs elements, or one or more curvilinear wave-spring elements. The annular wave-spring elements, which are arrayed in a stack, are not coupled to one another. A wave spring comprising annular wave-spring elements includes an alignment feature for establishing and maintaining the alignment of the wave spring elements. In a wave spring including curvilinear wave-spring elements, a first end of each curvilinear wave-spring element is attached to a first member and a second end of each curvilinear wave-spring element is attached to a second member, the plurality of curvilinear wave-spring elements being disposed between the two members. The plurality of curvilinear wave-spring elements in the array are positioned side by side, the array extending laterally along a length of the first member and second member, and providing a low-profile wave spring.

A method and system for increasing dampening capacity utilizing dry friction between individual wires of a rope embedded in a molded component formed from a composite. The individual wires allow inter-wire friction to occur during part vibration. The amount of inter-wire friction is controlled by the pressure when the component is molded. The component includes a body that is a molded matrix formed form a composite material. The body may be of any material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a metal or a ceramic material. One or more vibration-dampening ropes are embedded in the body. The vibration-dampening ropes may be elongated segments or may be a rope having connected ends that form one or more rings. The vibration-dampening rope includes at least outer wires and can further include a plurality of inner wires surrounded by the outer wires. Composite material is prevented from passing through the outer wires, thereby forming voids between the wires.

A method and system for increasing dampening capacity utilizing dry friction between individual wires of a rope embedded in a molded component formed from a composite. The individual wires allow inter-wire friction to occur during part vibration. The amount of inter-wire friction is controlled by the pressure when the component is molded. The component includes a body that is a molded matrix formed form a composite material. The body may be of any material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a metal or a ceramic material. One or more vibration-dampening ropes are embedded in the body. The vibration-dampening ropes may be elongated segments or may be a rope having connected ends that form one or more rings. The vibration-dampening rope includes at least outer wires and can further include a plurality of inner wires surrounded by the outer wires. Composite material is prevented from passing through the outer wires, thereby forming voids between the wires.

The invention relates to a torsion carrier, particularly a torsion spring, helical spring, drive shaft or balance shaft, which enables significant material and installation space savings compared to the prior art. The torsion carrier consists of a plurality of, but at least two supporting layers lying radially one above the other, each of which consists of at least one spiral coil (1, 3), but preferably of a plurality of spiral coils made of predominantly unidirectional composite fiber material, wherein at least two of the supporting layers have a counterrotating spiral coil orientation relative to one other. An elastic intermediate spacer layer (2) is arranged between adjacent spiral coil layers, by means of which a decoupling of the spiral coil expansions of adjacent spiral coil layers is achieved. This achieves particularly favorable, predominantly single-axis states of stress which allow for a high level of material utilization.

The invention relates to a torsion carrier, particularly a torsion spring, helical spring, drive shaft or balance shaft, which enables significant material and installation space savings compared to the prior art. The torsion carrier consists of a plurality of, but at least two supporting layers lying radially one above the other, each of which consists of at least one spiral coil (1, 3), but preferably of a plurality of spiral coils made of predominantly unidirectional composite fiber material, wherein at least two of the supporting layers have a counterrotating spiral coil orientation relative to one other. An elastic intermediate spacer layer (2) is arranged between adjacent spiral coil layers, by means of which a decoupling of the spiral coil expansions of adjacent spiral coil layers is achieved. This achieves particularly favorable, predominantly single-axis states of stress which allow for a high level of material utilization.

A torsion spring may be configured as a torsion bar or a helical spring made of a spring wire made of fiber-composite material. The torsion spring may have a plurality of layers of fiber reinforcement that have been saturated with a matrix material, wherein the layers may have fibers that are tension-loaded and fibers that are compression-loaded. The at least one compression-loaded group may have a lower group stiffness than the tension-loaded group with the highest group stiffness. Methods for designing or making torsion springs made of fiber-composite material are also disclosed.

A torsion spring may be configured as a torsion bar or a helical spring made of a spring wire made of fiber-composite material. The torsion spring may have a plurality of layers of fiber reinforcement that have been saturated with a matrix material, wherein the layers may have fibers that are tension-loaded and fibers that are compression-loaded. The at least one compression-loaded group may have a lower group stiffness than the tension-loaded group with the highest group stiffness. Methods for designing or making torsion springs made of fiber-composite material are also disclosed.

A method and system for increasing dampening capacity utilizing dry friction between individual wires of a rope embedded in a molded component formed from a composite. The individual wires allow inter-wire friction to occur during part vibration. The amount of inter-wire friction is controlled by the pressure when the component is molded. The component includes a body that is a molded matrix formed form a composite material. The body may be of any material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a metal or a ceramic material. One or more vibration-dampening ropes are embedded in the body. The vibration-dampening ropes may be elongated segments or may be a rope having connected ends that form one or more rings. The vibration-dampening rope includes at least outer wires and can further include a plurality of inner wires surrounded by the outer wires. Composite material is prevented from passing through the outer wires, thereby forming voids between the wires.