Even though cars have witnessed tremendous changes over the years, recently driven by environmental concerns, one element of their technology hasn?t really changed for the last 500 years: seat springs. While engines have become more fuel efficient, chassis designs have become more aerodynamic, fuel itself has become more refined and tyres have been designed keeping fuel efficiency in mind, springs, invented in the 15th century, have only now been redesigned to aid in the green effort. Simon Spinks, the MD of a Leeds-based mattress maker, has invented a new kind of miniature spring that is significantly lighter than the kind currently in use, according to a report in the Financial Times. These lighter springs, by making the cars themselves lighter, will make the cars more fuel efficient and will therefore reduce carbon dioxide emissions. It isn?t a prototype invention far for implementation, either. Spinks? company Harrison Spinks is working in conjunction with Johnson Controls, the world?s biggest producer of car seats, which is evaluating the new design. If approved, these springs?10 mm in height?could be adopted by Johnson Controls, which is expected to make more than one-fourth of the 250 million car seats likely to be produced in 2012. Not only are the new springs lighter, but using them will mean using smaller quantities of polyurethane foam used to pad car seats. The springs themselves are easily recyclable, so adopting them will make cars even greener. Harrison Spinks already uses these springs in its mattresses, and has set up a new division to manufacture them in high volumes.
Spinks? efforts just go to show that apart from inventing new technology to make cars greener, redesigning old technology can be a fruitful endeavour, too.