Thigh spring - terms and names for the thigh spring explained simply
Leg springs, torsion springs and torsion springs are technical elastic metal springs that are made from round or square wire. The spring body of the leg springs usually has a cylindrical shape.
The spring wire is usually wound or twisted in a helix shape. In addition to the cylindrical, helically wound spring body, the leg spring has a wire overhang at both ends of the spring, which is called a leg. One of the legs is usually used to fix the metal spring, the other leg to introduce force or torque. It is important to note that the leg spring, torsion spring and torsion spring are subjected to a mechanical or physical load on the spring steel to bend.
Terms for the leg spring, torsion spring and torsion spring:
1. Leg arrangement:
The leg arrangement indicates how the legs are attached to the spring body.
The leg arrangement can be tangential, radially outward, radially inward or axially outward. The leg arrangement for leg 1 and leg 2 can be different, for example leg 1 can be arranged tangentially and leg 2 radially outwards.
2. Leg shapes: The
leg shapes of the leg springs (leg 1 and leg 2) can be designed differently. Common leg shapes are
round or square hooks, eyelets or straight.
3. Leg position: The
leg position is given in degrees (radians) or in a decimal angle (degrees °) and indicates how large the overlap of the first and last turn or next turn of the leg spring is.
A leg position of 0° has no overlap of the turns dn=0 or 0° overlap, e.g. number of turns n = 3.0.
A leg position of 180° has an overlap of the turns by half a turn dn=0.5 or 180°, e.g. n = 3.5.
The leg position is a decimal measure for the partial overlap of a spring turn dn=0 corresponds to 0°, dn=0.25 corresponds to 90°.
The value range of the leg position is between dn=0 or 0° and dn=1 or 360°. Preferred leg positions are
dn=0 (0°), dn=0.25 (90°), dn=0.5 (180°), dn=0.75 (270°). The relationship of the leg position between the partial overlap of a turn is Alpha0° = dn * 360°. The leg position does not depend on the leg shape or leg arrangement and cannot be determined or derived from it. The leg position is an absolute measurement. The leg position can be easily determined by the overlap of the spring coil.
4. Leg opening: The
leg opening is given in degrees (radians) or in a decimal angle (degrees °) and indicates how large the angle is between the legs in the direction of the load. The leg opening depends on the direction of the force and leg arrangement.
The leg opening depends on the direction of the force and leg shape or leg arrangement and can also be determined or derived from it. The leg opening is a relative measurement. The range of values for the leg opening can be between dn=0 or 0° and dn=1 or 360°. A comparison of the leg position and leg opening can be found further down in Table 1.
5. Winding direction or winding direction: The
winding direction or winding direction is indicated as right-handed (R) clockwise or left-handed (L) anti-clockwise.
To determine the winding direction of a leg spring, torsion spring or torsion spring, look in the direction of the torsion spring axis of the spring body. If the spring wire
is in Clockwise wound in the direction of the torsion spring axis of the spring body, then the spring is wound to the right (R). If the spring wire is wound anticlockwise wound in the direction of the torsion spring axis of the spring body, then the spring is wound to the left (L). However, the decisive factor for the design choice of winding direction is the direction of the torque load.
The loading direction of the leg spring or the introduction of force should be in the winding direction if possible, otherwise increased stresses will occur in the spring material. Leg springs wound to the right should be loaded "closing" in the winding direction / winding direction, but the torque or the force around the torsion spring axis acts counterclockwise. For the left-hand wound leg spring, the direction of the torque load or the force around the torsion spring axis should act clockwise.