Fluid filled vibration isolator which operates quietly over broad frequency and amplitude ranges

Claim 2

In a vibration isolator including opposed fluid filled chambers, an inertia track passageway providing fluid communication therebetween, and a decoupler assembly cooperable with the chambers and the inertia track passageway to provide certain operating characteristics, the improvement wherein the decoupled assembly comprises: cage means providing a cavity between said chambers, a flexible decoupler disc mounted in said perforate cavity and having opposite sides confronting said chambers, said cage means having spaced confronting outer annular surfaces surrounding said decoupler disc adjacent to its periphery for mounting said disc for flexure in alternate transverse directions relative to said chambers in response to alternating fluid pressure differentials therebetween, said cage means outer/surfaces engaging said decoupler disc to prevent peripheral translatory motion of the disc while providing peripheral fulcrums for permitting said disc to pivot thereabout and to flex without substantial tension adjacent to its periphery, and surface means located on opposite sides of said disc and on said cage means cooperable to control flexure of said disc, said surface means including transversely spaced inner surfaces on said cage means normally confronting said disc inwardly of its fulcrums for permitting portions of the disc inwardly of its periphery to flex transversely beyond the limits of said outer peripheral cage surface, said surface means on said disc and cage means being configured relative to one another to progressively arrest disc flexure in a radially inward direction by engaging the disc inwardly of its periphery at transverse locations spaced apart at radially increasing distances, wherein said decoupler disc has a peripheral edge of a predetermined thickness and opposite surfaces recessed therefrom, said outer annular cage surfaces engaging said disc continuously inward of its edge to provide said fulcrums and continuous seals about the periphery of the disc whereby the decoupler assembly is characterized by quiet operation and fatigue resistance.

Claim 3

A vibration isolator according to claim 1 wherein said opposite surfaces of said decoupler disc are concave so that the disc has a minimum thickness centrally thereof.

Claim 4

A vibration isolator according to claim 2 wherein said opposite surfaces of said disc are conical and intersect the peripheral edge of the disc at an acute angle to provide continuous feathered edges thereat.

Claim 5

In a vibration isolator including opposed fluid filled chambers, an inertia track passageway providing fluid communication therebetween, and a decoupler assembly cooperable with the chambers and the inertia track passageway to provide certain operating characteristics, the improvement wherein the decoupler assembly includes a complementary pair of engaged superimposed plates defining at least a portion of a partition separating said chambers, said plates being formed to provide said inertia track passageway therebetween and to define a decoupler cage located inwardly of said inertia track passageway in fluid communication with said chambers, a flexible decoupler disc mounted in said cage, said decoupler disc having opposite sides confronting said chambers and a periphery with a circumferential bead thereon, said partition plates having converging surfaces surrounding said decoupled disc periphery and engaging said circumferential bead for mounting said decoupler disc for flexure in alternate directions relative to said chambers, said converging partition plate surfaces cooperating with the bead to provide fulcrums at the periphery of the disc for permitting said disc to pivot thereabout and thereby to flex without substantial tension adjacent to its periphery while preventing fluid leakage between the decoupler cage and the inertia track passageway and between the fluid chambers wherein said partition plates are of rigid construction and define between the decoupler cage and inertia track passageway a tapered joint confronting said decoupler disc periphery and said partition plates have confronting surfaces that diverge from the medial plane of the decoupler disc at a plurality of angles in radially spaced regions inwardly of the decoupler disc periphery, and said decoupler disc is of elastomeric construction and its peripheral bead engages in said joint to seal the same against leakage, and the decoupler disc has raised ribs of radially inwardly decreasing height on opposite sides for operatively engaging said plate surfaces to provide said progressive disc flexure arresting action.

Claim 6

In a vibration isolator including opposed fluid filled chambers, an inertia track passageway providing fluid communication therebetween, and a decoupler assembly cooperable with the chambers and the inertia track passageway to provide certain operating characteristics, the improvement wherein the decoupler assembly includes a complementary pair of engaged superimposed plates defining at least a portion of a partition separating said chambers, said plates being formed to provide said inertia track passageway therebetween and to define a decoupler cage located inwardly of said inertia track passageway in fluid communication with said chambers, a flexible decoupler disc mounted in said cage, said decoupler disc having opposite sides confronting said chambers and a periphery with a circumferential bead thereon, said partition plates having converging surfaces surrounding said decoupled disc periphery and engaging said circumferential bead for mounting said decoupler disc for flexure in alternate directions relative to said chambers, said converging partition plate surfaces cooperating with the bead to provide fulcrums at the periphery of the disc for permitting said disc to pivot thereabout and thereby to flex without substantial tension adjacent to its periphery while preventing fluid leakage between the decoupler cage and the inertia track passageway and between the fluid chambers wherein said partition plates are of rigid construction and define between the decoupler cage and inertia track passageway a tapered joint confronting said decoupler disc periphery and said partition plates have confronting surfaces that diverge from the medial plane of the decoupler disc at a plurality of angles in radially spaced regions inwardly of the decoupler disc periphery, and said decoupler disc is of elastomeric construction and its peripheral bead engages in said joint to seal the same against leakage, and the decoupler disc has raised ribs of radially inwardly decreasing height on opposite sides for operatively engaging said plate surfaces to provide said progressive disc flexure arresting action.

Claim 7

In a vibration isolator including opposed fluid filled chambers, an inertia track passageway providing fluid communication therebetween, and a decoupler assembly cooperable with the chambers and the inertia track passageway to provide certain operating characteristics, the improvement wherein the decoupler assembly comprises: cage means providing a cavity between said chambers, a flexible decoupler disc mounted in said cavity and having a peripheral edge of a predetermined thickness and opposite surfaces recessed inwardly therefrom to provide a thinner central portion, said cage means having spaced confronting annular surfaces continuously engaging said disc inwardly of its edge and mounting said disc for flexure in alternate transverse directions relative to said chambers in response to alternating fluid pressure differentials therebetween, said cage means surfaces preventing peripheral translation of the disc while providing continuous peripheral fluid seals and fulcrums and permitting said disc to pivot thereabout and to flex without substantial tension adjacent to its periphery, whereby the decoupler assembly is characterized by quiet operation and fatigue resistance.

Claim 8

In a vibration isolator including opposed fluid filled chambers, an inertia track passageway providing fluid communication therebetween, and a decoupler assembly cooperable with the chambers and the inertia track passageway to provide certain operating characteristics, the improvement wherein the decoupler assembly comprises: cage means providing a cavity between said chambers, a flexible decoupler disc mounted in said cavity and having a peripheral edge of a predetermined thickness and opposite surfaces recessed inwardly therefrom to provide a thinner central portion, said cage means having spaced confronting annular surfaces continuously engaging said disc inwardly of its edge and mounting said disc for flexure in alternate transverse directions relative to said chambers in response to alternating fluid pressure differentials therebetween, said cage means surfaces preventing peripheral translation of the disc while providing continuous peripheral fluid seals and fulcrums and permitting said disc to pivot thereabout and to flex without substantial tension adjacent to its periphery, whereby the decoupler assembly is characterized by quiet operation and fatigue resistance.

Claim 9

A vibration isolator according to claim 5 wherein said opposite surfaces of said decoupler disc are concave so that the disc has a minimum thickness centrally thereof.

Claim 10

A vibration isolator according to claim 6 wherein said concave surfaces intersect the disc edge at an acute angle to provide continuous feathered edge seals about the periphery of the disc.

Claim 11

A vibration isolator according to claim 7 wherein said concave surfaces are conical and converge centrally of the disc to provide said minimum thickness thereat.

Claim 14

For use in a vibration isolator having an inertia track passageway in fluid communication between fluid chambers and a cage for containing a decoupler disc cooperable with the inertia track passageway to provide certain dynamic operating characteristics, a flexible decoupler disc having a plurality of radially separated circumferential ribs on opposite sides thereof, said ribs being of progressively decreasing height in a radially inward direction from the periphery of the disc.

Claim 15

For use in a vibration isolator having an inertia track passageway in fluid communication between fluid chambers and a cage for containing a decoupler disc cooperable with the inertia track passageway to provide certain dynamic operating characteristics, a flexible decoupler disc having a plurality of radially separated circumferential ribs on opposite sides thereof, said ribs being of progressively decreasing height in a radially inward direction from the periphery of the disc.

Claim 16

A decoupler disc according to claim 10 wherein said decoupler disc is of molded elastomeric construction.

Claim 17

A decoupler disc according to claim 10 including a bead extending circumferentially about the periphery of the disc.

Claim 18

A vibration isolator including opposed fluid filled chambers, an inertia track passageway providing fluid communication therebetween, and a decoupler assembly cooperable with the chambers and the inertia track passageway to provide certain operating characteristics, the improvement wherein the decoupler assembly includes a complementary pair of engaged superimposed plates defining at least a portion of a partition separating said chambers, said plates being formed to provide said inertia track passageway therebetween and to define a decoupler cage located inwardly of said inertia track passageway in fluid communication with said chambers, a flexible decoupler disc mounted in said cage, said decoupler disc having opposite sides confronting said chambers and a periphery with a circumferential bead thereon, said partition plates having conveging surfaces surrounding said decoupler disc periphery and engaging said circumferential bead for mounting said decoupler disc for flexure in alternate directions relative to said chambers, said converging partition plate surfaces cooperating with the bead to provide fulcrums at the periphery of the disc for permitting said disc to pivot thereabout and thereby to flex without substantial tension adjacent to its periphery while preventing fluid leakage between the decoupler cage and the inertia track passageway and between the fluid chambers wherein said partition plates are of rigid construction and define between the decoupler cage and inertia track passageway a tapered joint confronting said decoupler disc periphery, and said decoupler disc is of elastomeric construction and its peripheral bead engages in said joint to seal the same against leakage wherein said partition plates have confronting surfaces that include a plurality of peripherally spaced outstruck tabs terminating above and below the decoupler disc, and the decoupler disc has raised ribs of radially inwardly decreasing height on opposite sides for operatively engaging the tabs to provide said progesive disc flexure arresting action.

Claim 19

A vibration isolator including opposed fluid filled chambers, an inertia track passageway providing fluid communication therebetween, and a decoupler assembly cooperable with the chambers and the inertia track passageway to provide certain operating characteristics, the improvement wherein the decoupler assembly includes a complementary pair of engaged superimposed plates defining at least a portion of a partition separating said chambers, said plates being formed to provide said inertia track passageway therebetween and to define a decoupler cage located inwardly of said inertia track passageway in fluid communication with said chambers, a flexible decoupler disc mounted in said cage, said decoupler disc having opposite sides confronting said chambers and a periphery with a circumferential bead thereon, said partition plates having conveging surfaces surrounding said decoupler disc periphery and engaging said circumferential bead for mounting said decoupler disc for flexure in alternate directions relative to said chambers, said converging partition plate surfaces cooperating with the bead to provide fulcrums at the periphery of the disc for permitting said disc to pivot thereabout and thereby to flex without substantial tension adjacent to its periphery while preventing fluid leakage between the decoupler cage and the inertia track passageway and between the fluid chambers wherein said partition plates are of rigid construction and define between the decoupler cage and inertia track passageway a tapered joint confronting said decoupler disc periphery, and said decoupler disc is of elastomeric construction and its peripheral bead engages in said joint to seal the same against leakage wherein said partition plates have confronting surfaces that include a plurality of peripherally spaced outstruck tabs terminating above and below the decoupler disc, and the decoupler disc has raised ribs of radially inwardly decreasing height on opposite sides for operatively engaging the tabs to provide said progesive disc flexure arresting action.