Electrically controlled spring element

Claim 2

Electrically controlled spring element comprising an even number of elementary elements (A,B) with which each elementary element consisting of a rod (TA,TB) of highly magnetostrictive material, a permanent magnets (PA,PB) for pre-magnetization of the rod and a surrounding excitation coil (3,4), charac­terized in that the elementary elements form one or more basic spring elements (AB) each comprising two elementary elements (A,B) mounted in a frame (1), the rods being in line with one another along their centre lines, and an intermediate transmission element having a power output (2), and that the magnetic orientation of the pre-magnetization and of the exci­tation coils are arranged such that, regardless of the direc­tion of the excitation current, they are directed in the same direction in one element and in opposite directions in the other element.

Claim 3

Electrically controlled spring element according to Claim 1 arranged with a mechanical transformer, character­ized in that the electrically controlled spring element comprises two basic spring elements and that its symmetry plane with the two basic spring elements is equidistant from the symmetry axis of the symmetry plane, and that the mechan­ical transformer consists of an upper lid (5) and a lower lid (6) with central openings, rings (7,8) abutting on one lid each, a first plunger (9), sealed against said rings and a power output (2) of the basic spring elements arranged as an external, preferably integrated part, a second plunger (13) arranged inside the first plunger and having a tapped central pin (15) guided and sealed against the central openings of the lids, for power output from the electrically controlled spring element, and that, on the one hand, the space defined by the upper lid, the upper part of the first plunger and the upper side of the second plunger and, on the other hand, the space defined by the lower lid, the lower part of the first plunger and the lower side of the second plunger are filled with a low-compressive medium under overpressure.

Claim 4

Electrically controlled spring element according to Claim 1, arranged with a mechanical transformer, character­ized in that the electrically controlled spring element comprises one basic spring element only, that the mechanical transformer consists of an upper lid (28) and a lower lid (29), a first plunger (18) surrounding and sealed against the basic spring element and arranged in engagement with the power output (2) of the basic spring element, and a second, outer plunger (26) surrounding and sealed against the first plunger and preferably arranged as an integrated part of an outer tubular casing (27) for power output from the electrically controlled spring element, that said casing is arranged to be guided by the lids, and that, on the one hand, the space (21) defined by the upper lid, the upper part of the first plunger, the casing and the upper side of the second plunger and, on the other hand, the space (22) defined by the lower lid, the lower part of the first plunger, the casing and the lower side of the second plunger are filled with a low-compressive medium under overpressure.