Sample 2 Inventors Challenge:
​
What would you do with a spring?
What??? Nini??? Hhhmmm…
​
Let’s start by thinking about a spring. What is it? It is a coil of metal or other material.
​
Where do we find springs? They are used in farming machines like a tractor, in the struts on a car and as shock absorbers or a motorbike. Springs are also found inside many small things like a ball point ink pen, a wind up wrist watch, door locks, gates and more.
​
As you can see, springs are used in many ways.
Your challenge is to think about the spring and then tell us: What would you do with a spring?
​
We have included some research, pictures and sketches below for you to see how springs work in mechanisms. Your invention will need to use a spring. It can be any size and made of any materials. Design your idea as if you had unlimited materials to develop a prototype of your invention that uses a spring. Don’t forget to include a labeled, hand drawn sketch of your idea that shows us as much of your engineering as possible. We want something new!
​
**This challenge is one where we will not show the winner’s idea on our website so you can protect it and continue to develop your idea for possible patenting or use in the future.**
Motor Bike
​
Windup Toys
Earthquake Resistant Building
To get you started, let’s first look at how energy is stored in a spring.
Energy is power. We need power to do any kind of work. We know energy comes in many forms like chemical energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, solar energy, gravitational energy, mechanical energy, nuclear energy and more.
​
The energy used in everyday life is usually mechanical energy. Mechanical energy is easily stored in a spring. This kind of energy is called potential energy because energy that is stored has the potential of being released. It can provide energy when and where it is needed.
For thousands of years, the spring has been used to store and release energy. Here is a quick look at the history of springs:
​
Egyptian Chariots: 3,600 year-old chariots depict pharaohs and warriors proudly riding into battle on horse-drawn chariots including spoked wheels, springs, shock absorbers, anti-roll bars, and a convex-shaped rear mirror, leading to the comparison of design to the engineering standards of the 1930s era Buicks!
Pistols and Locks: In 1493, Leonardo Da Vinci built the first spring into a pistol, a small gun, that was customized just for the pistol. It made it possible for the pistol to be shot off in a single hand. Coil springs were also used in locks in the 15th century.
​
Leaf Springs: In the 18th century, the French put a plate onto a carriage suspension. This metal plate is considered a leaf spring and was the first ever leaf spring used on a vehicle. Very useful on their rough roads.
The First Coiled Spring: In 1763, R. Tradwell invented the first ever coiled spring. It was a British patent and considered a big step up from the leaf spring which had to be lubricated often and was quite squeaky.
​
​
​
​
​
​
Shock Absorber: The first modern shock absorber was fitted to a racing bike by a French man named J. M. M. Truffault in 1898.
​
​
Steel Coil Spring: The word coil meant to wind cylindrically or spirally. In the year 1857, the first ever steel coil spring was invented in the United States. It was used for chair seats.
Springs Helped Make The Modern World: Ever since the inventions of coil springs, springs have been used in everything from shoes to trampolines and help make the car industry what it is today. Springs are used in every type of device and machinery and they really do help make the world go around.
Wind up Clock
Mouse Trap
Spring powered light and phone charger. You hand wind it from the bottom.
Spring Powered Torch
Consider how energy is stored and released in the amazing spring.
​
Here is the key: The total amount of energy that is stored in a spring when you compress it or stretch it will be released when the spring returns to its normal shape. You lose none of that energy when it is released. What does that mean when you are talking about efficiency?
​
Let’s compare it to storing solar energy. Believe it or not, about 80% of solar energy is lost converting it to a usable energy, electrical energy. How much energy does the spring lose? None! The energy put into it comes back out of it!
​
When you think about your invention, consider the size of spring you might need. Some inventions may need energy while some may not, like the chair. This will be a factor in choosing your size of spring. If energy is needed from your spring to power your invention, compare your idea to an existing invention. Look at the size of spring that particular device uses to accomplish the work intended. Then you can form a hypothesis on the size of spring your invention will need.
​
Also keep in mind Hookes Law which says the more compressed or stretched a spring becomes, it will multiply the energy it has the ability to store. Basically, your spring will multiply it’s ability to store energy based on the distance your spring is compressed or stretched.
​
ENJOY YOUR CHALLENGE!
​
​
​