Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A composite deflectable spring comprising a multiple of compacted continuous filament strands each composed of a multiple of individual continuous filament reinforcements, each of said filament strands extending at least generally in the direction of a longitudinal axis thereof to exhibit a center-pull helical frequency and configuration defined by a multiple of revolutions about said axis and about at least one other of said filament strands, each of said filament strands having helixes that are spaced relative to the helixes of the other filament strands in the direction of said axis, and hardenable adhesive means impregnating said filament strands and forming a hardened bonding matrix for ridgedly maintaining said filament strands as a composite structure and wherein a multiple of said structures are disposed in at least general parallel relationship relative to each other to form a uniformly thick single ply structure, said structures bonded together by said hardened bonding matrix to form said deflectable spring structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A composite deflectable spring comprising a multiple of compacted continuous filament strands each composed of a multiple of individual continuous filament reinforcements, each of said filament strands extending at least generally in the direction of a longitudinal axis thereof to exhibit a center-pull helical frequency and configuration defined by a multiple of revolutions about said axis and about at least one other of said filament strands, each of said filament strands having helixes that are spaced relative to the helixes of the other filament strands in the direction of said axis, and hardenable adhesive means impregnating said filament strands and forming a hardened bonding matrix for ridgedly maintaining said filament strands as a composite structure and wherein a multiple of said structures are disposed in at least general parallel relationship relative to each other to form a uniformly thick single ply structure, said structures bonded together by said hardened bonding matrix to form said deflectable spring structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The deflectable spring of claim 1 wherein said single ply structure further comprises a body member having said spring connected in cantilevered relationship thereon a hinge line defined therebetween.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The deflectable spring of claim 2 wherein said spring is at least generally uniformly curved in a direction transverse to said axis and forms a segment of said single ply structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The deflectable spring of claim 2 wherein said spring is flat and forms a cantilever leaf spring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The deflectable spring of claim 1 wherein the filament strands of each of said structures are helically wound about a twine core structure comprising a flexible thermoplastic rod.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The deflectable spring of claim 2 wherein said single ply structure further comprises a flange member formed thereon and deflectable in a first direction and wherein the shear strength of said flange member is at least substantially equal to the transverse shear strength of the remaining portions of said single ply structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The deflectable spring of claim 6 wherein said spring has a rectangular cross section at said hinge line and said hinge line is straight when viewed in cross-section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The deflectable spring of claim 6 wherein a load face is defined on said flange member and forms a segment of a conical surface and wherein said hinge line constitutes a segment of a circle when viewed in cross-section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The deflectable spring of claim 6 wherein said flange member defines a protuberant load face ply structure extending transversely of said axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The deflectable spring of claim 9 wherein said an extremity of load face ply is directed at least approximately 180° opposite to the initial extension direction of said load face ply structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The deflectable spring of claim 9 wherein said load face is flat.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The deflectable spring of claim 6 wherein said single ply structure further comprises a non-deflectable flange member, having a load face, formed thereon.