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.

The present invention provides a device configured to effectively absorb repeated shock energy such as a vibration shock by using a composite tube, and the present invention has advantageous effects in that the shock energy caused by a tensile or compressive shock load may be effectively absorbed by the composite tube, and the shock energy absorption device may be applied to a building and used as a vibration control device capable of preparing for repeated earthquakes.

A spring device for a motor vehicle wheel suspension that includes a first leaf spring made of fiber-reinforced plastic and a second leaf spring made of fiber-reinforced plastic. The second leaf spring is shorter than the first leaf spring and together with the first leaf spring forms a V-shaped structure, which, in the region of the joined ends of the V-shape, has a first fastening device for the vehicle-body-side support and at the free ends of the V shape has a second fastening device on the first leaf spring for wheel-side support and a third fastening device on the second leaf spring for vehicle-body-side support.

A seal member includes a base portion held by a cylinder, the base portion being configured such that a rod is inserted through the base portion, and a lip portion provided on the base portion, the lip portion being brought into sliding contact with an outer circumference of the rod, wherein the lip portion is formed of an elastic body containing fibers oriented in the axial direction of the rod.

A curved support structure for a non-pneumatic tire and a tire incorporating such support structure. A support membrane extends continuously between a radially-inner end and a radially-outer end and defines opposing sides. A radially-outer joint may be provided on one of the opposing sides while a radially-inner joint may be provided on the other side of the membrane. An annular band may be incorporated with the radially-outer joint. A wheel, hub, or other structure may be incorporated with the radially-inner joint.

A main landing gear assembly for an aircraft has an upper beam and a lower beam. The proximal ends of the upper and lower beams are each connected to a trunnion assembly that is mounted on the fuselage or wing of the aircraft. The distal ends of the upper and lower beams are each affixed to an axel support structure on which a main wheel of the landing gear assembly is mounted. In the gear assembly, the upper beam and the lower beam are coplanar and act together, in combination, to accommodate a planar flexure of the gear assembly during aircraft takeoffs and landings.

A constant force spring system to achieve a substantially constant force curve, includes top and bottom load surfaces separated by a load compression distance therebetween; a main spring; at least one auxiliary linear spring acting on a last portion of the load compression distance to prevent load compression; a spreading linkage acting between the top load surface and the bottom load surface to prevent load compression thereof; and link hinges connecting the links, wherein the spreading linkage.

A method and system of curved crease foldcores as energy absorbers with rule lines can that lie parallel in the flat state. Corrugated sheet is bonded to the foldcore material such that the corrugations align with the ruling. The curved creases are then cut from the corrugated layer. The image of the corrugation lines under the folding motion remains a line, and the corrugated structure survives and reinforces the folding mechanism. The corrugation significantly increases the second area moment of inertia about the crushing direction, while leaving the second area moment of inertia about the perpendicular direction largely unchanged. Under compressive failure, the corrugated foldcore fails progressively, rather than catastrophically. Also, the corrugations enforce the curved crease pattern, allowing the required curved panels to be bent while disallowing other deformations. This limiting of extraneous deformation aids in manufacturing, and as a global boundary condition readily enforces local folding directions.

A process for depositing a coating on a suspension element is provided. The process comprises: providing the suspension element to be coated; preheating the surface of the suspension element to a preheating temperature at least equal to 80 C.; depositing on the preheated surface of the suspension element a cross-linkable composition comprising an epoxy compound; and heating the surface of the suspension element to a temperature greater than the preheating temperature so as to cross-link the composition, therefore resulting in the coating.

A component in the form of a crash element is made of a fibre composite material, the wall of which is constructed at least predominantly from bundles of carbon fibres. The carbon fibre filaments are arranged parallel to one another within the fibre bundles, and the bundles are embedded in a polymer matrix. Within the wall of the component the bundles are distributed uniformly and have a substantially isotropic orientation as considered perpendicularly to a first and/or second surface.