A device for use in a shoe includes a first foot, a second foot, a third foot, a fourth foot, a first flexible leg, a second flexible leg, a third flexible leg, and a fourth flexible leg. The first flexible leg extends from the first foot and is curved. The second flexible leg extends from the second foot and is curved. The third flexible leg extends from the third foot and is curved. The fourth flexible leg extends from the fourth foot and is curved. The first flexible leg, second flexible leg, third flexible leg, and fourth flexible leg are joined together with each other at a common area. The first flexible leg, second flexible leg, third flexible leg, and fourth flexible leg are configured to store energy when a force is applied to the common area, and to return energy when the force is removed from the common area.

A damper for an object is placed in a medium subjected to vibrations. The damper has an idle state in the absence of vibrations, a first operating state in case of vibrations of a first type, and a second operating state in case of vibrations of a second type. The level of each vibration of the first type is less than the level of each vibration of the second type. The damper includes an outer support structure, an inner support structure, and at least one pair of membranes formed of a first membrane and a second membrane. Each membrane is formed of a viscoelastic material including fibers aligned substantially in a same direction.

An aircraft landing gear shock absorber assembly having: an outer cylinder having a bore which extends into the outer cylinder, the bore defining an opening in the outer cylinder; a sliding tube having a first end region slidably coupled within the bore and a second end region which projects out of opening; a ground fitting distinct from the sliding tube; and a mechanical fixing arranged to mechanically couple the ground fitting to the second end region of the sliding tube, wherein the sliding tube comprises a tubular body portion formed from a ceramic coated fibre composite tube.

Disclosed is an elastic compression device for storing, thanks to a composite spring, large elastic energies under a small mass, suitable for astronautics, aeronautics, elastic suspension elements for automotive and rail transport, and industrial mechanisms. This is achieved by a device, tolerant to damage, offering immunity to creep, shocks to corrosion and notch while reaching levels of considerable energy density, namely 1,400 J/kg, which is 4.66 times more than of steel springs. The device has a bellows shape, of its elastic element of compression, which shape includes at least one portion of an ellipse, terminated by supports. Further, the device is leakproof, so that the device can contain pressurized gas or fluid and can be used as an air or a hydraulic strut.

Provided is a composite material capable of measuring bending deformation, the composite material including: a first conductive composite body that is bendable; a dielectric body that is bendable and compressible; and a second conductive composite body that is bendable, wherein the first conductive composite body and the second conductive composite body are respectively stacked on both surfaces of the dielectric body, and heights of the first conductive composite body and the second conductive composite body from the dielectric body are different from each other.

An oblong cantilevered support includes a pair of latitudinally spaced apart oblong resilient members connected by a pair of longitudinally spaced apart blocks. The longitudinal spacing between the blocks can be adjusted. One or both of the members can have a tapered profile causing the stiffness of the member to vary along its length. Adjusting the spacing between the blocks and/or sliding a variable stiffness member longitudinally with respect to the blocks can adjust the stiffness of the overall support. Each member can be made from a unitary piece of fiber composite material such as a carbon fiber infused polymer wherein the orientations of the fibers are varied to provide both bending and torsional strength and stiffness that varies along the length of the member. The tapered geometry can be formed by a pair of parallely spaced apart oblique trapezoidal truncated pyramids interconnected by a webbing strip.

In a crash box, a first extending portion extends from a front end of a first body upper portion in a vehicle front-rear direction of a first body portion, and a second extending portion extends from a front end of a second body lower portion in a vehicle front-rear direction of a second body portion. When an impact load is transmitted to the front ends of the first body portion and the second body portion in the vehicle front-rear direction, a rotation moment toward the lower side of the vehicle acts on the first extending portion and a rotation moment toward the upper side of the vehicle acts on the second extending portion. This can suppress peeling between first and second left side bonded portions and between first and second right side bonded portions of the first body portion and the second body portion.

An aircraft landing gear assembly having a first landing gear element movably coupled relative to a second landing gear element to move between a first condition and a second condition. The aircraft landing gear assembly further comprises a fibre composite leaf spring formed from a plurality of composite layers and arranged between the first and second elements, the leaf spring being arranged to bend when the first element moves from the first condition to the second condition. The fibre composite leaf spring comprises a first region and a second region, wherein the number of composite layers in the first region is greater than the number of composite layers in the second region. The landing gear further comprises a mounting assembly arranged to engage the first region of the leaf spring to couple the leaf spring to the first landing gear element.

Provided are a bracket for an anti-vibration device, and a method for manufacturing the same, in which increase of weight and peeling of a reinforcing portion are suppressed. A bracket (1) has: a reinforcing portion (20) extending in a surrounding direction of the surrounding portion (10), having ends (21) in both directions of the surrounding direction, and being fixed to an outer surface of the portion (10); and ribs (30) formed on an outer circumference of the portion (10) so as to span the ends (21) of the reinforcing portion (20) in the surrounding direction of the portion (10). The portion (10) and the ribs (30) are made of synthetic resin. A method for manufacturing the bracket (1) includes a step of injecting synthetic resin serving as the portion (10) and the ribs (30) into a mold cavity where a reinforcing member serving as the portion (20) is set.

A leaf spring vehicle suspension system includes a chassis rail and an axle. The suspension system also includes a first stage leaf spring. The suspension system further includes a second stage leaf spring. The suspension system yet further includes a third stage leaf spring operatively coupled at a first end and a second end to the chassis rail, wherein the first stage leaf spring is located below the third stage leaf spring and the second stage leaf spring is located below the first stage leaf spring. The suspension system also include a spacer in abutment with a leaf spring, wherein the spacer is formed of at least one composite material.