• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1638-1645
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• 2006

This paper proposes a modeling technique which is able to not only reliably and easily represent the hysteretic characteristics but also analyze the dynamic stress of a taper leaf spring. The flexible multi-body dynamic model of the taper leaf spring is developed by interfacing the finite element model and computation model of the taper leaf spring. Rigid dummy parts are attached at the places where a finite element leaf model is in contact with an adjacent one in order to apply contact model. Friction is defined in the contact model to represent the hysteretic phenomenon of the taper leaf spring. The test of the taper leaf spring is conducted for the validation of the reliability of the flexible multi-body dynamic model of the taper leaf spring developed in this paper. The test is started at an unloaded state with the excitation amplitude of $1{\sim}2mm/sec$ and frequency of 132 mm. First, the simulation is conducted with the same condition as the test. Then, the simulations are conducted with various amplitudes in a loaded state. The hysteretic diagram from the test is compared with the ones from the simulation for the validation of the reliability of the model. The dynamic stress analysis of the taper leaf spring is also conducted with the developed flexible multi-body dynamic model under a dynamic loading condition.

• Journal of the korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 1981

In this paper, the natural frequencies of curved taper leaf springs using on vehicle suspension systems are studied. By applying the Castigliano's definition, Rayleigh's principle and Dunkerley's equation, new formulas defining the natural frequency of such shaped spring are derived. Numerical calculations are in very good agreement with experimental results on actual models. We found that the natural frequencies of curved taper spring are increased by 21-28% compared with the spring having same weight, span and curve but uniform section.

• Composites Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2004

The present paper is concerned with the optimum design of taper spring, in which the static spring rate of the fiber-reinforcement composite material spring is fitted to that of the steel leaf spring. The thickness and width of springs were selected as design variables. The object functions of the regression model were obtained through the analysis with a common analytic program. After regression coefficients were calculated to get functions of the regression model, optimal solutions were calculated with DOT. E-glass/epoxy and carbon/epoxy were used as fiber reinforcement materials in the design, which were compared and analyzed with the steel leaf spring. The result of the static spring rates show that optimized composite leaf springs agree with steel leaf spring within 1%.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1276-1290
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• 1997

The previous elastic stiffness formulas of leaf type holddown spring assemblies(HDSs) have been corrected and extended to be able to consider the point of taper runout for the TT-HDS and all the strain energies for both the TT-HDS and the TW-HDS based on Euler beam theory and Castigliano'stheorem. The elastic stiffness sensitivity of the leaf type holddown spring assemblies was analyzed using the derived elastic stiffness formulas and their gradient vectors obtained from the mid-point formula. As a result of the sensitivity analysis, the elastic stiffness sensitivity at each design variable is quantified and design variables having remarkable sensitivity are identified. Among the design variables, leaf thickness is identified as that of having the most remarkable sensitivity of the elastic stiffness. In addition, it was found that the sensitivity of the leaf type HDS's elastic stiffness is exponentially correlated to the leaf thickness.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.676-679
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• 1997

The present paper is concerned with the optimal deslgn that the static spring rate of the fiber-reinforcement composite spring is fitted to that of the steel leaf spring. The thickness and w~dth of springs were selected as deslgn variables. And object functions of the regression model were obtained through the analysis with a common analytic program. After regression coefficients were calculated to get functions of the regression model, optimal solutions were calculated with DOT. E-GlassIEpoxy and CarbonIEpoxy were used as fiber reinforcement materials in the design, which were compared and analyzed with the steel leaf spring. It was found that the static spring rate of the optimal model was almost similar to that of the existing spring.