Lord Corporation

Michael F Walch

Douglas Edward Ivers

Douglas A Swanson

Lane R Miller

Stephen F Hildebrand

William S Jensen

Scott K Miller

Russell E Alteri

Michael D Janowski

A controlled equilibrium device comprising a housing; at least one spring, each at least one spring having a spring stiffness; and a load leveling device movable through the housing between a first maximum displacement position and a second maximum displacement position, the load leveling device comprising a deadband displacement zone defined between a first deadband displacement threshold and a second deadband displacement threshold, the displacement required to reach the first and second deadband displacement thresholds being less than the displacement distances required to reach the first and second maximum displacement positions, the at least one spring stiffness being substantially constant when the displacement of the load leveling device is within the deadband zone, the stiffness of the at least one spring being modified to a second stiffness when the load leveling device is equal to or beyond either the first deadband displacement threshold or the second deadband displacement threshold.

Controlled equilibrium device with displacement dependent spring rates and integral damping

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Cary, NC, United States of America

Michael F Walch