Isolator mount for shock and vibration

• US 7,131,640 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: QorTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: QorTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Bower, Bruce, Knowles, Gareth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SICONOLFI, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US11/001,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20050161871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 267/136, 188/267
• US Class Current: 267/136
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/022 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/06 Rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/07 Flat, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/14 characterised by the particular extruding conditions, e.g. in a modified atmosphere or by using vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/14 oriented
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2503/06 Metal powders, metal carbides or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/00 Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0008 Magnetic or paramagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0091 Damping, energy absorption
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/366 made of fibre-reinforced plastics, i.e. characterised by their special construction from such materials
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/371 characterised by inserts or auxiliary extension or exterior elements, e.g. for rigidification F16F1/387 takes precedence; non-embedded reinforcing elements for flexibly-walled air springs F16F9/0436
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/306 of the constrained layer type, i.e. comprising one or more constrained viscoelastic layers

Abstract

An isolator mount for the active dissipation of shocks and vibrations is presented. The invention includes at least one energy dissipating element disposed between deflectable elements so as to provide soft damping for small disturbance excitations, yet remaining sufficiently stiff to mitigate large shocks. The mount transfers mechanical energy to the dissipating element via the device structure. Dissipating element mitigates the energy in shocks and vibrations as either heat or magnetic energy. A snap-together modular embodiment enables the coupling of two or more isolators for use within a wide variety of shock and vibration applications. Quasi-static tuning of one or more mounts comprising a snap-together module facilitates an active response to changing conditions.

Claims

1. An actively passive isolator mount for shock and vibration isolation comprising:

(a) a C-shaped damping element comprising a resilient matrix and a plurality of magneto-mechanical inclusions enclosed within said resilient matrix;

(b) a rigid C-shaped outer damping shell capable of withstanding repeated deflections and strains;

(c) a rigid C-shaped inner damping bulkhead capable of withstanding repeated deflections and strains, said C-shaped damping element disposed between and fastened to said C-shaped outer damping shell and said C-shaped inner damping bulkhead so that said actively passive isolator mount has an open end and an interior cavity, said open end having a first side attachable to a rigid structure and a second side attachable to a component residing within said rigid structure;

(d) a damping seal flexibly disposed and attached to said actively passive isolator mount at said open end;

(e) a pair of covers flexibly disposed and attached about said outer damping shell, said damping seal and said covers being non-load bearing and sealing said interior cavity from environmental conditions and contaminants;

(f) an electronics module which resets said magneto-mechanical inclusions non-mechanically after one or more loads are applied to said actively passive isolator mount thereby dissipating shock and vibrations, said electronics module oriented within said cavity parallel to shock and vibration; and

(g) a low-density fill filling said cavity and isolating said electronics module from shock and vibration.

2. The actively passive isolator mount of claim 1, wherein said C-shaped damping element dissipates mechanical energy as heat energy.

3. The actively passive isolator mount of claim 1, wherein said C-shaped damping element dissipates mechanical energy as magnetic energy.

4. The actively passive isolator mount of claim 1, wherein said C-shaped damping element has a plurality of randomly oriented short length fiber inclusions.

5. The actively passive isolator mount of claim 1, wherein said C-shaped damping element has a plurality of short length chaff inclusions.

6. A multi-mount block for shock and vibration isolation comprising at least two actively passive isolator mounts of claim 1 communicatively attached so as to individually respond to load conditions.

7. A multi-mount block for shock and vibration isolation comprising at least two actively passive isolator mounts of claim 1 communicatively attached so as to mutually respond to load conditions.