Buckling column load switch spring
US9850974B1 · kind B1 · utility
0Cited by
8References
4Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 2014 |
| Grant date | Dec 26, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16F2236/027
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A nonlinear mechanical element including a buckling column and hard stops. In one embodiment when the nonlinear mechanical element is subjected to an increasing compressive load, the buckling column buckles at a critical load, resulting in reduced stiffness past the critical load. One or more lateral hard stops may be provided adjacent to the buckling column to prevent the buckling deformation from exceeding a certain extent, and axial hard stops may be provided to shift the load path away from the buckling column when a certain amount of compressive displacement has been reached.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.