We’ve compiled a list of our top five uses of springs in our favourite everyday applications. Some examples of spring uses are obvious, but there’s sure to be some that you may not have thought of. The spring, whether it’s a tension spring, compression spring, torsion spring, wireform springs or flat spring, is a vital part of physics, as well as everyday appliances. This has allowed this mechanism to be used throughout history, even dating back to before the Bronze Age.
Springs were first recorded to be used in the standard bow and arrow, as the arrow would be pulled, resulting in more tension before it is released and the spring element allows this to travel large distances as the energy is now transferred to the arrow.
The uses of springs are purely functional and vary in application and knowing what springs are used for will help you understand their importance in our everyday lives.
Nowadays, there are many more uses to springs, due to the development in the product as well as the many new inventions that have occurred over time. Five of these are very much common throughout the world, which will be discovered in this piece.
Slinkies
We’ll start with the most iconic spring invention, as after all, the product is just a large helical spring! If you’re not familiar with the premise of a slinky, this strangely entertains its users by performing a variety of tricks.
These include travelling down flights of steps and appearing to levitate. These are especially popular in the United States, the country of its origin as the Slinky was invented by Richard James in 1943 in the state of Pennsylvania. When many of us were children, this is the first time we took notice of springs and their many uses!
Trampolines
The trampoline is another largely popular invention that has only come to mainstream use in the past 100 years or so. The first modern trampoline was created in 1936 by two gymnasts, with coiled springs being used on home trampolines to provide the rebounding force that bounces the user back up into the air.
Although there are dangers attached to a trampoline, most are made to fit many safety precautions and still enjoy a healthy use by many people today. This is also coupled with the re-emergence of trampoline parks all over the world. Next time you are on a trampoline, you will notice a spring application in action!
Mattresses
Another use for a spring is in something that most people will use every day. The mattress is used as a bed in itself or a part of the bed that is made from heavy cloth, or a framework of box springs that allow the user to feel comfortable on the bed without having to sleep on a hard surface. The spring element to the mattress also allows the user to slightly sink into the mattress to enjoy a better nights sleep.
Upholstery
Ever wondered why some seats allow you to sink into them to allow maximum comfort? The reason is an upholder that works similarly to a mattress, allowing the person sitting down to feel like they are sitting on a soft surface.
These are now popularly used in the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors as more and more products that require seats are now moving towards this level of comfort. These are used in more modern cars and coaches, as this, provided by leather seating, notices the fact that the user may be sat down for sustained periods of time.
CD Players
Due to the surge in online music streaming and portable music files, the CD player seems like a bit of a nostalgic invention when mentioned in this day and age. However, they were still as popular 10 years ago.
CD players use springs to pop up when they were pressed inwards to allow the user to retrieve a CD that had been previously placed into the device. This mechanism was very useful for keeping the CD protected and away from potential dust.
How Can Irvine Springs Help You?
The team at Irvine Springs are passionate about and dedicated to crafting and engineering high-quality and innovative compression springs, using the latest technology in the spring making industry, whilst providing our customers with a top-rated and bespoke service that fully meets their requirements.
If you would like to speak to one of our experts about more uses of springs or your requirements or need any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us today by calling us on 01294 279 396 or emailing us at info@irvinesprings.com. We hope to hear from you soon!