Springs

The company now offers over 15,500 stock springs; in addition, it can supply springs to customer designs. Manufactured from 301 stainless steel strip the constant force springs are stated to exert "a near-constant restraining force to resist uncoiling". Adam Binding, marketing manager, reports that this natural inbuilt stress resists load at an even rate and make the springs suitable for use in retractor mechanisms. "Common applications include counterbalance springs and car seat belt and cable retractors." Constant force springs usually are coiled tightly on a drum. Either the free end or the drum can be attached to the load. Four life cycle ranges are available from Lee Spring: 2500, 4000, 13,000, and 25,000 covering loads from 0.30kg to 7.48kg. Lengths vary from 356mm to 1524mm, thicknesses from 0.10mm to 0.51mm, and widths from 6.35mm to 31.75mm. Wave springs perform a similar function to compression springs but they take up about 50% less compressed height space due to their sine wave design that allows tangential contact. These springs also offer greater control of axial movement and consistent load transfer, says Adam Binding. Produced in stainless steel (type 17-7pH) Lee Spring's wave springs "provide optimum performance in static or slightly dynamic applications in which space is critical or where radial and axial tolerances are tight". Rod sizes of between 6.35mm and 25.40mm are available to suit hole diameters between 9.53mm and 31.75mm, in spring rates from 0.81kg/mm to 5.33kg/mm.