What Is a Disc Spring?
A disc spring is a spring with a conical shape, resembling a bottomless dish with a hole in the center. It compresses under an external load and returns to its original shape, making it essential for various mechanical applications. It’s important not to confuse disc springs with disc spring washers, with disc springs often having unique standards set by individual manufacturers.
Applications of Disc Springs
Disc springs, capable of carrying high loads in compact spaces, are used across various sectors. They find applications in automotive clutches, hydraulic pistons as return springs, vibration isolators for press machines, and for applying preload in hinges and bearings, ensuring smooth operation and reducing slack.
Principle of Disc Springs
The functionality of disc springs is based on elastic deformation, where the conical part bends under pressure, creating a spring force. This principle allows disc springs to support compressive loads effectively, in contrast to coil springs, which are designed for compression, tension, and torsion applications.
Main Characteristics of Disc Springs
Key features of disc springs include their compact design that allows for high energy storage with minimal deformation, and their ability to adjust load and deflection through stacking. However, variations in manufacturing can affect the performance of stacked springs.
Other Information about Disc Springs
Stacking disc springs in series or parallel configurations allows for the customization of spring characteristics to meet specific requirements. Series stacking increases the load capacity, while parallel stacking increases deflection. Additionally, the difference between disc springs and disc spring washers is highlighted in their applications, with disc springs designed for dynamic loads and disc spring washers used to prevent bolt loosening under static loads.