A Compact, Two-Part Torsion Spring Architecture

Springs are essential mechanical elements that are used across a wide variety of industries and mechanisms. Common across many spring types and applications is the importance of compactness, low mass and customizability. In this paper, we present a novel rotary spring design that is lightweight, compact and customizable. In addition, we empirically validate the design by experimentally quantifying the performance of two test springs on a custom dynamometry testbed. Our two-part spring geometry is comprised of a central rotating gear-like cam shaft, and a disk that includes a circular array of radially-spaced tapered cantilevered beams. The two springs that we designed and tested matched desired performance specifications within 3–6%, confirming the efficacy of this unique design approach.