I adapted Jeff Beynon’s origami “Spring Into Action” to curve, as shown. Normally, the spring would be straight when it is folded and deployed, but in my version I weakened one side so the paper would exert more force from the other side, making it curve. This could potentially have some engineering applications; it could be useful whenever a curved object capable of being stretched out to be straight is needed. Also, it flattens into a very compact disk, so it would be easy to transport.
There is some mathematics involved in this design, as described in my other post, below this one, about straight origami springs. To weaken one side, I kept the angle theta so it would fit an eight sided spring, but I reduced the number of columns (the value n) so there wasn’t the normal extra paper in the place where the crack occurs, which weakens it.
Folded and designed by Sophie Usherwood
The Origami Journals 