Patent ID: 8668189

Claim:
In a spring assembly comprising at least one sine wave spring, each of the at least one sine wave springs comprising a lower platen having first and second spring stops located at a fixed predetermined distance apart on the face thereof; a flat flexible spring material having a length greater than the predetermined distance between the first and second spring stops, the flat flexible material placed on the lower platen between the first and second spring stops and fixed only to the first and second spring stops such that the spring material forms at least one bowed portion extending away from the lower platen, when the flat flexible spring material is placed on the first and second spring stops, the at least one bowed portion not fixed to either of the upper or lower platen; and an upper platen, placed atop the flat flexible spring material and in contact with the at least one bowed portion of the flat flexible spring material, a method of storing and releasing energy in the sine wave spring, comprising the steps of: applying a force to the upper platen toward the lower platen, such that the flat flexible spring material forms additional bowed portions in response to the force applied between the upper platen and lower platen, storing energy applied by the force in the sine wave spring, and removing the force, such that as the force is removed from the upper platen, the flat flexible spring material rebounds, forming fewer bowed portions in response to release of the force applied between the upper platen and the lower platen, releasing energy stored by the sine wave spring.