Belleville Washers

The most widely known type of disc spring is the Belleville washer, or Belleville spring, named after inventor and patent owner Julien Belleville. In reality, however, Bellevilles are just one style of spring washer that fall under the category of disc springs. By definition, a disc spring is a circular component that deforms to a shorter height when subjected to a load along its axis of symmetry. This elastic deformation characterizes the spring action and performs much the same function as a coiled compression spring.