A friction device for a torsional vibration damper includes an axis of rotation, an input side with a first disc and a second disc, and an output side between the first disc and the second disc and rotatable relative to the input side. The output side has a first friction disc, a second friction disc, and a spring element between the first friction disc and the second friction disc. The spring element has first, second and third contact regions. At a first angle of rotation between the input side and the output side, an axial contact force between the first friction disc and the second friction disc is transmittable via the first contact region and the third contact region. At a second angle of rotation, different than the first angle of rotation, the axial contact force is transmittable via the second contact region and the third contact region.

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 suspension for a vehicle may include: a main frame; a lower leaf spring installed on either side of the main frame; an upper leaf spring disposed above the lower leaf spring so as to be spaced apart from the lower leaf spring; a connection bracket supported by the upper leaf spring, and rotatably mounted on the main frame; an eye clip mounted on an end portion of the lower leaf spring, and connected to a wheel; and a rubber bush mounted on either side of the upper leaf spring, and connected to a vehicle body.

A lattice structure and system for absorbing energy, damping vibration, and reducing shock. The lattice structure comprises a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell comprising a plurality of rib elements with at least a portion of the rib elements including a solid bendable hinge portion for converting energy into linear motion along a longitudinal axis of the respective rib element.

A leaf spring device includes a plurality of leaf springs, in which a restricting protrusion is provided on one leaf spring, a recessed part is formed on the other leaf spring, a first side surface of the restricting protrusion and a third side surface of the recessed part face each other in a plate width direction, a second side surface of the restricting protrusion and a fourth side surface of the recessed part face each other in the plate width direction, a first inclined surface is formed on one of the first and third side surfaces to be further away from the other thereof from a central portion toward a first direction, and a second inclined surface is formed on one of the second and fourth side surfaces to be further away from the other thereof from the central portion toward a second direction.

In a method for producing a spring leaf (2) for a leaf spring, in particular a parabolic spring or suspension spring, wherein the spring leaf (2) comprises two end regions, a central region, a top side which is subjected to tensile stress in the operative state, and a bottom side (1) which is subjected to pressure in the operative state, at least one hole (3) is introduced into the bottom side (1). The bottom side (1) is peened locally in the region around the hole (3).

Primary plate springs overlap a first plate spring segment of a coupling plate spring in a first direction and respectively have a frictional contact portion which generates sliding friction relative to the first plate spring segment in response to vibrations, Secondary plate springs overlap a second plate spring segment of the coupling plate spring in a second direction and respectively have a frictional contact portion which generates sliding friction relative to the second plate spring segment in response to the vibrations while the second direction is different from the first direction. Tertiary plate springs overlap a third plate spring segment of the coupling plate spring in a third direction and respectively have a frictional contact portion which generates sliding friction relative to the third plate spring segment in response to the vibrations while the third direction is different from the first and second directions.

A flexible spring element is made of a fibre-reinforced plastics composite material, a functional layer made of a fibre-reinforced plastics composite material being located on each of two mutually opposite sides of a central plane of the flexible spring element. At least one matrix material discharge layer extending parallel to the two functional layers and in a longitudinal direction is arranged in at least one longitudinal portion and has at least a fraction of discharge layer fibres which are oriented differently from the longitudinal direction of the flexible spring element. Within at least one curved portion of the flexible spring element a first volume fraction of flexible spring fibres in the functional layers is smaller, preferably smaller by several % than a second volume fraction of flexible spring fibres in the functional layers within the at least one longitudinal portion.

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 spring for use in conjunction with a vehicle, in particular a leaf spring (1), preferably a parabolic spring, has a single-part spring leaf (12) made of steel, in particular spring steel, having a central region (2) and two adjoining edge regions (4a, 4b), wherein the edge regions (4a, 4b) each have an end region (5a, 5b), the end regions (5a, 5b) can each be connected to a chassis in a stationary manner via a rolled eye (11), and the total length of the spring when installed on the vehicle is substantially unchangeable in all load states. In the unloaded state, the spring leaf (12) has two bending sections (13, 14), which each have a curvature with a curvature direction, wherein the curvature directions of the two bending sections (13, 14) are opposed, and the two bending sections (13, 14) merge into each other in the region of a turning point (15). The first bending section (13) is a vertical spring section and runs from the end region (5a) of the first edge region (4a) via the central region (2) to the turning point (15). The second bending section (14) is a horizontal and vertical spring section and runs from the turning point (15) to the end region (5b) of the second edge region (4b).