Vibration isolator with a tension restraint

• US 6,250,615 B1
• Filed: 08/02/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Freudenberg-Nok General Partnership (Freudenberg & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Freudenberg-Nok General Partnership (Freudenberg & Company KG)
• Inventors: Leibach, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRAMER, DEVON C
• Application Number:
  US09/366,024
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 267/141.2, 267/141.3, 267/141.4, 267/141.5, 267/140.13, 267/140.14, 267/219, 248/562, 248/638, 248/636
• US Class Current: 267/140.13
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 13/10 the wall being at least in part formed by a flexible membrane or the like F16F13/14 - F16F13/18 take precedence

Abstract

A mount is provided with a pair of spaced apart support members. One of the support members includes a stop. A vibration isolation member is connected to both support members. The vibration isolation member has a rubber block for absorbing unwanted vibrations. A restraint member is connected to the rubber block to reduce the mass of the vibrating components so as to prevent reducing the resonant frequency of the device. The restraint member has a first portion and a second portion. The design is compact and does not permit the stop to extend above the restraint member in order to permit unrestrained travel of the first support member toward the second support member when the mount is in a compression mode. The second portion engages the stop to limit the stretch of the rubber block away from the support member and provides a heat shield for the rubber block and stop.

Claims

1. A vibration control device for use with a heat engine, comprising:

a pair of spaced apart support members defining a longitudinal axis, one of said support members having a stop;

a vibration isolation member connected to said pair of support members, said vibration isolation member having a rubber block, said vibration isolation member being a hydromount, said hydromount having a pair of fluid chambers and nozzles therebetween; and

a restraint member connected to said rubber block, said restraint member having a first portion extending along said longitudinal axis and a second portion extending radially from said first portion, said second portion engaging said stop to limit the stretch of said rubber block away from the other of said pair of support members and permitting the compression of the one of said pair of support members toward the other of the said pair of support members, said restraint member further shielding said rubber block from the radiant heat of the heat engine said restraint member being connected to said rubber block so as to prevent contact of the restraint member into the fluid in said pair of chambers and any subsequent degradation of isolation performance.

2. A vibration control device for use with a heat engine, comprising:

a pair of spaced apart support members defining a longitudinal axis, one of said support members having a stop, said stop having an elastomeric portion, said elastomeric portion having at least one concentric bead;

a vibration isolation member connected to said pair of support members, said vibration isolation member having a rubber block; and

a restraint member connected to said rubber block, said restraint member having a first portion extending along said longitudinal axis and a second portion extending radially from said first portion, said second portion engaging said stop to limit the stretch of said rubber block away from the other of said pair of support members and permitting the compression of the one of said pair of support members toward the other of the said pair of support members, said restraint member further shielding said rubber block from the radiant heat of the heat engine.

3. A vibration control device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said second portion moves along said longitudinal axis in response to heat engine vibration, said second portion contacting at least one concentric bead when said second portion moves longitudinally toward said stop.

4. A vibration control device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said at least one concentric bead having an outer diameter bead, an inner diameter bead and an intermediate diameter bead.

5. A vibration control device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the heat engine is mounted in a chassis, said rubber member being connected to the chassis so that said restraint member prevents reducing the resonant frequency of the vibration control device.

6. A vibration control device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said outer diameter bead having a first height, said inner diameter bead having a third height which is less than said first height, and said intermediate diameter bead having a second height between said first height and said third height.

7. An apparatus for controlling vibration from an energy conversion device, the energy device having a mounting bracket, said apparatus comprising:

a first support member adjacent to the mounting bracket and having a stop;

a second support member spaced apart from said first support member and forming a longitudinal axis;

a vibration isolation member connected to said first support and said second support, said vibration member having a flexible block; and

a tension restraint member connected to said block to prevent unwanted resonant effects, said restraint member having a first portion extending longitudinally from said block and a second portion extending radially from said first portion toward said first support member, said second portion of said tension restraint member contacting said first support member to limit the longitudinal stretch of said block, said second portion having a plurality of apertures, said restraint member further shielding said block from radiant heat from said energy conversion device.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said flexible block is an elastomer.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said elastomer is selected from a group of Natural Rubber, Ethylene Propylene Diene, Hydrogenated Nitrile, Nitrile, Butyl, Ethylene Acrylate, Polyisoprene, Polybutadiene, Styrene Butadiene, and Fluorocarbon.

10. An apparatus for controlling vibration from an energy conversion device, the energy device having a mounting bracket, said apparatus comprising:

a first support member adjacent to the mounting bracket and having a stop, said stop further having at least one energy absorption member, said energy absorption member including at least one concentric ring;

a second support member spaced apart from said first support member and forming a longitudinal axis;

a vibration isolation member connected to said first support and said second support, said vibration member having a flexible block; and

a tension restraint member connected to said block to prevent unwanted resonant effects, said restraint member having a first portion extending longitudinally from said block and a second portion extending radially from said first portion toward said first support member, said second portion of said tension restraint member contacting said first support member to limit the longitudinal stretch of said block, said restraint member further shielding said block from radiant heat from said energy conversion device.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said energy absorption member is an elastomer.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said elastomer is selected from a group of Natural Rubber, Ethylene Propylene Diene, Hydrogenated Nitrile, Nitrile, Butyl, Ethylene Acrylate, Polyisoprene, Polybutadiene, Styrene Butadiene, and Fluorocarbon.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said second portion has a cut-out section and prevents said first support from extending below said tension restraint member.

14. An apparatus for controlling vibration from a powertrain assembly, said apparatus comprising:

a first support member having a top and a bottom, said bottom having a stop;

a second support member spaced apart from said first support member and forming a longitudinal axis;

a vibration isolation member connected to said first support and said second support, said vibration member having a flexible block; and

an annular tension restraint member connected to said block to prevent unwanted resonant effects, said restraint member having a first portion extending longitudinally from said block, a second portion extending radially from said first portion an upper portion, said second portion contacting said first support member to limit the longitudinal stretch of said block, said first portion of said tension restraint member having a cut-out section and said second portion of said tension restraint member having a cut-out section, said cut-out sections permitting the powertrain assembly to be attached to said first support member in a compact manner, whereby said first support member is contained within said annular restraint member and permits longitudinal compression travel of said first support member toward said second support member.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said flexible block is an elastomer.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said vibration isolator is a hydromount.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said vibration isolator is an elastomer vibration absorbing mount.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said restraint member further shields said block from radiant heat of the powertrain assembly.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said stop includes an elastomeric portion.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said elastomeric portion includes at least one concentric bead.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein said second portion contacts said stop to limit the longitudinal stretch of said flexible block.

22. A vibration control device for use with a heat engine having a mounting bracket, said device comprising:

a pair of spaced apart support members defining a longitudinal axis, one of said pair of support members having a mounting surfaces to attach the mounting bracket thereon, one of said surfaces on said pair of support members having a central connecting portion adjacent to the mounting bracket and an outer portion having a resilient stop, the mounting bracket being attached to said central connecting portion and covering a portion of said resilient stop;

a vibration isolation member connected to each of said support members, said vibration member having a flexible block portion; and

a tension restraint member connected to the periphery of said flexible block portion to prevent unwanted resonant effects, said restraint member having a first portion extending longitudinally from said block and a second portion extending radially from said first portion toward one of said support members, said second portion contacting said resilient stop on one of said support members to limit the longitudinal stretch of said vibration isolation member.

23. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said resilient member further shields said flexible block portion from radiant energy from said heat engine.

24. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said vibration isolation member is a hydromount.

25. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said resilient stop is separately attached to said outer portion so as to tailor the engine mount spring rate.

26. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said resilient stop includes a variable spring rate which is tailored by employing different geometric shapes.

27. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the longitudinal tension mode travel of said tension restraint member is between 5 to 20 mm from the loaded height of said device.

28. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said second portion contacts more than a 90 degree sector of said resilient stop.

29. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said second portion contacts more than a 90 degree sector to nearly a 180 degree sector of said resilient stop.

30. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said resilient stop is integrally molded with said flexible block portion.