Fluid and elastomer vibration isolator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10788095-B2
Application number	US-201815957202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2018
Priority date	Jun 26, 2017
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

An isolator configured to isolate a payload from unwanted vibrations and shocks. The isolator includes a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a primary chamber defined in the housing, a backpressure chamber defined in the housing, a conduit placing the primary chamber in fluid communication with the backpressure chamber, a backpressure membrane in the housing proximate the first end, an elastomer dome in the housing proximate the second end, and a shaft connected to the elastomer dome. The primary chamber and the backpressure chamber are between the backpressure membrane and the elastomer dome. The shaft is configured to be connected to the payload.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An isolator configured to isolate a payload from unwanted vibrations and shocks, the isolator comprising:
a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
a primary chamber defined in the housing;
a backpressure chamber defined in the housing;
a conduit placing the primary chamber in fluid communication with the backpressure chamber;
a backpressure membrane in the housing proximate the first end;
an elastomer dome in the housing proximate the second end, wherein the primary chamber and the backpressure chamber are between the backpressure membrane and the elastomer dome; and
a shaft connected only to the elastomer dome of the group consisting of the elastomer dome and the backpressure membrane, the shaft configured to be connected to the payload,
wherein the backpressure membrane is resilient, and
wherein deformation of the backpressure membrane in an axial direction is to generate a restorative force in the backpressure membrane in a direction opposite to the axial direction.

2. The isolator of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid in the primary chamber and the backpressure chamber, and wherein, when vibrations or shocks are transmitted to the housing:
the elastomer dome deflects to attenuate the vibrations or the shocks reaching the payload through the shaft,
the deflection of the elastomer dome forces a volume of the liquid in the primary chamber through the conduit into the backpressure chamber, and
an influx of the volume of the liquid into the backpressure chamber deflects the backpressure membrane, and the deflection of the backpressure membrane generates a restorative force configured to force a volume of the liquid in the backpressure chamber into the primary chamber through the conduit.

3. The isolator of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a partition separating the primary chamber from the backpressure chamber, and wherein the conduit is an opening defined in the partition.

4. The isolator of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid in the primary chamber and the backpressure chamber.

5. The isolator of claim 4 , wherein the liquid is oil.

6. The isolator of claim 1 , wherein the backpressure membrane comprises a resilient material.

7. The isolator of claim 6 , wherein the resilient material is silicone elastomer.

8. The isolator of claim 1 , further comprising a lateral bump stop connected to the second end of the housing, the lateral bump stop extending inward from the housing toward the shaft.

9. The isolator of claim 1 , further comprising an axial bump stop connected to the housing.

10. An isolator, comprising:
a primary chamber;
a backpressure chamber;
a housing, wherein the backpressure chamber and the primary chamber are in the housing;
a conduit extending between the primary chamber and the backpressure chamber, the conduit placing the primary chamber in communication with the backpressure chamber;
a backpressure membrane defining at least a portion of the backpressure chamber; and
an elastomer dome defining at least a portion of the primary chamber,
wherein a first portion of the elastomer dome is fixedly coupled to the housing such that the first portion of the elastomer dome is configured not to move relative to the housing during operation of the isolator,
wherein a second portion of the elastomer dome is configured to deflect both radially and axially relative to the housing during operation of the isolator
wherein the backpressure membrane is resilient, and
wherein deformation of the backpressure membrane in an axial direction is to generate a restorative force in the backpressure membrane in a direction opposite to the axial direction.

11. The isolator of claim 10 , further comprising a liquid in the primary chamber and the backpressure chamber.

12. The isolator of claim 11 , wherein the liquid is oil.

13. The isolator of claim 10 , further comprising a shaft coupled to the elastomer dome, the shaft extending through an opening in the housing and configured to be connected to a payload.

14. The isolator of claim 13 , further comprising a lateral bump stop coupled to housing, the lateral bump stop extending inward from the housing toward the shaft.

15. The isolator of claim 13 , further comprising an axial bump stop coupled to an end of the housing.

16. The isolator of claim 10 , wherein the housing further comprises a partition, and wherein the conduit is an opening defined in the partition.

17. A method of isolating a payload from unwanted vibrations and shocks, the method comprising:
radially and axially deforming an elastomer dome disposed between a vibration source and the payload to provide multi-axis damping;
pumping a volume of liquid from a first chamber to a second chamber through a conduit with the elastomer dome to provide fluidic damping; and
deforming, in an axial direction, a backpressure membrane defining at least a portion of the second chamber,
wherein the backpressure membrane is resilient, and
wherein the deforming of the backpressure membrane in the axial direction is to generate a restorative force in the backpressure membrane in a direction opposite to the axial direction.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising pumping a volume of the liquid from the second chamber to the first chamber with a backpressure membrane.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the liquid is mineral oil.

Assignees

• Hrl Lab Llc

Inventors

• Shahan David W
• Smith Sloan P
• Sorensen Adam E
• Sennott Casey J
• Henry Christopher P
• Mcknight Geoffrey P

Classifications

• E21B12/00

  Accessories for drilling tools · CPC title

• F16F2222/12

  Fluid damping · CPC title

• F16F13/10 Primary

  the wall being at least in part formed by a flexible membrane or the like (F16F13/14 - F16F13/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16F2224/048

  High viscosity, semi-solid pastiness (F16F2224/041 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16F15/0275 Primary

  Control of stiffness · CPC title