A composite coil spring includes a coil body that has a core and fiber layers impregnated with a polymer material. The fiber layers are wound around the core. The fiber layers extend around the coiled axis at oblique fiber angles. Each of the fiber layers includes a number of fibers that is a product of a common base number of fibers multiplied by a positive non-zero integer from a set of positive non-zero integers from 1 to 20. The positive non-zero integer of at least one of the fiber layers is different from the positive non-zero integer of at least one other of the fiber layers. At least one of the fibers layers is glass fibers and another of the fiber layers is carbon fibers, and each of an innermost fiber layer and an outmost fiber layer of the fiber layers is independently selected from glass fibers and carbon fibers.

A composite coil spring (20) includes a coil body (2) that extends along a coiled axis (24). The coil body includes a core (38) and a plurality of fiber layers (32) impregnated with a polymer material. The plurality of fiber layers are arranged around the core at different radial distances from the coiled axis. Each of the plurality of fiber layers extends around the coiled axis at an oblique fiber angle to the coiled axis. Each of the plurality of fiber layers includes a number of fibers that is a product of a common base number of fibers multiplied by a positive non-zero integer from a set of positive non-zero integers. The positive non-zero integer of at least one of the plurality of fiber layers is different from the positive non-zero integer of at least one other of the plurality of fiber layers.

An exemplary suspension member for a reciprocating conveyor has a horizontally oriented resilient spring member, two bases, and a support. The spring member has a main body, two ends, and a center with a mounting portion. Each base has a retention portion for retaining an end of the spring member. The support supports a tray disposed on top of the mounting portion and has at least one support member extending downward to engage the mounting portion.

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.

An elastically deformable article of manufacture can comprise a closed polymer shell having an outer surface, an inner surface, and an inner volume; a reinforcement in mechanical communication with an area of either the outer surface, the inner surface, or both the outer surface and the inner surface; wherein the closed polymer shell comprises a first polymer material having a thermal decomposition temperature of greater than or equal to 180 C.; wherein the article is configured such that the inner volume reduces from an initial inner volume as a pressure applied to the outer surface is increased to a threshold pressure and rebounds to greater than 75% of the initial inner volume as the pressure decreases from the threshold pressure over at least two pressure cycles.

An elastically deformable article of manufacture can comprise a closed polymer shell having an outer surface, an inner surface, and an inner volume; a reinforcement in mechanical communication with an area of either the outer surface, the inner surface, or both the outer surface and the inner surface; wherein the closed polymer shell comprises a first polymer material having a thermal decomposition temperature of greater than or equal to 180 C.; wherein the article is configured such that the inner volume reduces from an initial inner volume as a pressure applied to the outer surface is increased to a threshold pressure and rebounds to greater than 75% of the initial inner volume as the pressure decreases from the threshold pressure over at least two pressure cycles.

A spring element that includes a spring body that is at least chiefly formed from an elastomer, wherein at least one reinforcement fiber is embedded into the elastomer. The at least one reinforcement fiber has an arcuate course in a non-loaded condition of the spring element, so that the spring element has a non-linear spring characteristic.

A spring element that includes a spring body that is at least chiefly formed from an elastomer, wherein at least one reinforcement fiber is embedded into the elastomer. The at least one reinforcement fiber has an arcuate course in a non-loaded condition of the spring element, so that the spring element has a non-linear spring characteristic.

An assembly (100) for a vehicle includes two longitudinal members (1, 2) and a crossmember (3) connected therebetween at a connection point (6) of the crossmember (3) to the longitudinal members (1, 2). The crossmember (3) is made predominantly of fiber composite material and the longitudinal members (1, 2) are made predominantly of a metal material. The connection point (6) between the crossmember (3) and the longitudinal member (1, 2) comprises an overlapping region (B), in which a connection segment (8) of the longitudinal member (1, 2), which is predominantly composed of metal material, overlaps at least in some segments with a part of the crossmember (3), which is predominantly composed of fiber composite material.