• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.413-419
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• 2000

An efficient method for calculating the nonlinear stiffness of the Progressive Multi-Leaf Spring is developed and evaluated. It utilizes the interaction between the main and help spring that induces the nonlinearity. The main and the help springs are modeled as multi-leaf cantilever beams, and, then, they are integrated as one by connecting the two models for each side of the Progressive Multi-Leaf Spring at the center-bolt. The results from the developed model are evaluated by use of the commercial FEA program, ABAQUS. The nonlinear spring coefficients calculated by FEM analysis yield the numbers very close to the numbers calculated for the spring coefficients by used of the developed method. From the comparative evaluations, the developed method is accurate enough and very efficient in calculation time for evaluating the nonlinear spring property of the Progressive Multi-Leaf Spring.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.636-642
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• 2000

A method for reducing the contact noise of the Progressive Multi-Leaf Spring was investigated. It was found that the contact noise between the main and the help springs is the main source of the noise through our experiments. The conclusions from our experiments were compared with those from our numerical analysis by use of ABAQUS. The main parameters for the unexpected noise in the leaf spring were investigated through structural analysis to make describing noise generation. The contact process between the two leaves is examined by numerical calculations by ABAQUS. The noise produced by the leaf spring could be dramatically reduced by changing the shape of help spring so as to remove a translational jump of the contact point between the main and the help springs. Even with the help spring of the new proposed shape the stiffness of the whole spring did not change much.