Vibration isolating apparatus

• US 6,464,213 B1
• Filed: 12/20/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Kojima, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavinder, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): SICONOLFI, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/466,876
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 267/140.14, 267/140.15, 188/267
• US Class Current: 267/140.14
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 13/00 Units comprising springs of the non-fluid type as well as vibration-dampers, shock-absorbers, or fluid springs F16F5/00, F16F6/00, F16F9/003 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 13/264 comprising means for acting dynamically on the walls bounding a working chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/03 using magnetic or electromagnetic means F16F9/53, F16F15/005 take precedence

Abstract

In the vibration isolating apparatus of the present invention, a controller provides drive current to an electromagnet when shaking vibration is being generated. This causes an intermediate plate to be attracted to the electromagnet thereby preventing elastic deformation of a first elastic piece caused by load transmitted from a top plate. Therefore, the static spring constant of an elastic body can be made larger than when the electromagnet is not being operated. Furthermore, the controller shuts off the supply of drive current to the electromagnet when idling vibration is being generated. This causes the intermediate plate to move away from the electromagnet thereby enabling elastic deformation of the first elastic piece cause by the load transmitted from the top plate. Therefore, the static spring constant of the elastic body can be made smaller than when the electromagnet is operated. The result of this is that, according to the vibration isolating apparatus of the present invention, the static spring constant of an elastic body to counter vertical load and the static spring constant of an elastic body to counter shear load can both be adjusted to optimum values in accordance with the characteristics of the input vibration.

Claims

1. A vibration isolating apparatus comprising:

a first mounting member connected to a vibration generating portion;

a second mounting member connected to a vibration receiving portion;

an elastic body capable of elastic deformation which is provided between the first mounting member and the second mounting member;

an intermediate plate for partitioning the elastic body into a first elastic piece at the side of the first mounting member and a second elastic piece at the side of the second mounting member cross-sectionally relative to a vertical load from the first mounting member or second mounting member;

restraining means provided together with the first elastic piece between the first mounting member and the intermediate plate, which restrains movement of the intermediate plate relative to the first mounting means when operated, and allows movement of the intermediate plate relative to the first mounting means when not operated;

a diaphragm provided between the second mounting member and the second elastic piece;

a partition wall portion provided inside a space defined by the intermediate plate, the second elastic piece and the diaphragm, such that the partition wall portion divides the space into a pressure receiving fluid compartment at the side of the intermediate plate and a fluid compartment at the side of the diaphragm, the pressure receiving fluid compartment communicating with the fluid compartment by way of an orifice formed in the partition wall portion, wherein the content volume of the pressure receiving fluid compartment is changed by elastic deformation of the second elastic piece; and

a passage forming member provided inside the fluid compartment, such that the passage forming member divides the fluid compartment into a ring-shaped restricting passage and a fluid sub-compartment as the remaining space of the fluid compartment, the restricting passage communicating with the fluid sub-compartment by way of an orifice formed in passage forming member.

2. The vibration isolating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the restraining means has an electromagnet which is fixed to one of the first mounting member and the intermediate plate and, when drive current is supplied to the electromagnet, the electromagnet attracts the other one of the first mounting member and intermediate plate which are formed from a magnetic substance.

3. The vibration isolating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the restraining means is fixed to one of the first mounting member and the intermediate plate, and is press-contacted to the other one of the first mounting member and the intermediate plate when in operation and separated from the other one of the first mounting member and the intermediate plate when not in operation so as to form a clearance larger than the amplitude of the idling vibration of the vehicle.

4. The vibration isolating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first elastic piece is a rubber elastic body.

5. The vibration isolating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first elastic piece is a metal spring.