Multi-axial energy damping and displacement control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11236791-B2
Application number	US-201916657859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2019
Priority date	Oct 18, 2019
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

An energy damping and displacement control device is disclosed. The energy damping and displacement control device can include a contact protrusion and an energy damping pad constructed of a resilient material. The energy damping pad can have a first face oriented along a first plane. The energy damping pad can also have a second face oriented along a second plane transverse to the first plane, and toward the contact protrusion. In a static condition, the first and second faces of the energy damping pad can be separated from the contact protrusion. In a dynamic condition, displacement motion of the contact protrusion relative to the energy damping pad can be limited by contact with at least one of the first or second faces of the energy damping pad, which provides energy damping and motion displacement control of the contact protrusion in multiple axes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An energy damping and displacement control device, comprising:
a contact protrusion having a spherical surface configuration; and
an energy damping pad constructed of a resilient material, the energy damping pad having a first face oriented along a first plane, and a second face oriented along a second plane transverse to the first plane, and toward the contact protrusion,
wherein, in a static condition, the first and second faces of the energy damping pad are separated from the contact protrusion, and, in a dynamic condition, displacement motion of the contact protrusion relative to the energy damping pad is limited by a spherical contact interface between the contact protrusion and at least one of the first or second faces of the energy damping pad at any impact location, at any angle of impact, and at any orientation of the contact protrusion at a point of contact with the energy damping pad, which provides energy damping and motion displacement control of the contact protrusion in multiple axes.

2. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 1 , further comprising a motion isolator.

3. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 2 , wherein the motion isolator comprises a wire rope motion isolator.

4. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 1 , wherein the energy damping pad comprises a first energy damping pad portion and a second energy damping pad portion separate and distinct from the first energy damping pad portion, the first energy damping pad portion including the first face and the second energy damping pad portion including the second face.

5. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 1 , further comprising a contact protrusion mounting bracket coupled to the contact protrusion and operable to mount the contact protrusion to a structure.

6. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second faces of the energy damping pad has a planar configuration.

7. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second faces of the energy damping pad has a curved configuration.

8. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 1 , further comprising a backing plate in support of the energy damping pad, the backing plate having a first support surface and a second support surface in support of the respective first and second faces of the energy damping pad.

9. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first or second support surfaces of the backing plate has a planar configuration.

10. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 8 , wherein the backing plate is operable to mount the energy damping pad to a structure.

11. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of retainer brackets attached to the backing plate, the retainer brackets being configured to contact sides of the energy damping pad to minimize shear force in the energy damping pad during contact with the contact protrusion to maintain the energy damping pad intact during high impact.

12. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 1 , wherein a vertical distance between the contact protrusion and the energy damping pad in the static condition is adjustable.

13. The energy damping and displacement control device of claim 12 , wherein the vertical distance is adjustable with a shim.

14. An energy damping and displacement control system, comprising:
a base;
a supported structure;
a motion isolator supporting the supported structure about the base; and
an energy damping and displacement control device comprising
a contact protrusion associated with one of the base or the supported structure, the contact protrusion having a spherical surface configuration, and
an energy damping pad associated with the other of base or the supported structure, the damping pad being constructed of a resilient material and having a first face oriented along a first plane, and a second face oriented along a second plane transverse to the first plane, and toward the contact protrusion,
wherein, in a static condition, the first and second faces of the energy damping pad are separated from the contact protrusion, and, in a dynamic condition, displacement motion of the contact protrusion relative to the energy damping pad is limited by a spherical contact interface between the contact protrusion and at least one of the first or second faces of the energy damping pad at any impact location, at any angle of impact, and at any orientation of the contact protrusion at a point of contact with the energy damping pad, which provides energy damping and motion displacement control of the contact protrusion in multiple axes.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the base comprises a deck of a ship and the supported structure comprises an electronics enclosure.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the motion isolator comprises a wire rope motion isolator.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the energy damping and displacement control device includes the motion isolator.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the energy damping and displacement control device comprises a plurality of energy damping and displacement control devices.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a second motion isolator independent of the plurality of energy damping and displacement control devices.

20. A method for facilitating energy damping and displacement control, comprising:
obtaining an energy damping and displacement control device comprising:
a contact protrusion having a spherical surface configuration, and
an energy damping pad constructed of a resilient material, the energy damping pad having a first face oriented along a first plane, and a second face oriented along a second plane transverse to the first plane;

facilitating coupling of the contact protrusion to at least one of a base or a supported structure; and
facilitating coupling of the energy damping pad to at least one of the base or the supported structure, wherein the first face and the second face are oriented toward the contact protrusion,
wherein, in a static condition, the first and second faces of the energy damping pad are separated from the contact protrusion, and, in a dynamic condition, displacement motion of the contact protrusion relative to the energy damping pad is limited by a spherical contact interface between the contact protrusion and at least one of the first or second faces of the energy damping pad at any impact location, at any angle of impact, and at any orientation of the contact protrusion at a point of contact with the energy damping pad, which provides energy damping and motion displacement control of the contact protrusion in multiple axes.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein facilitating coupling of the contact protrusion to at least one of the base or the supported structure comprises:
obtaining a contact protrusion mounting bracket operable to mount the contact protrusion to at least one of the base or the supported structure; and
coupling the contact protrusion mounting bracket to the contact protrusion.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein facilitating coupling of the energy damping pad to at least one of the base or the supported structure comprises
obtaining a backing plate operable to mount the energy dampin

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Nguyen Ly Dinh
• Alejandro Stevie

Classifications

• F16F15/046

  using combinations of springs of different kinds (F16F15/085 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16F7/14

  of cable support type, i.e. frictionally-engaged loop-forming cables · CPC title

• F16F1/374 Primary

  having a spherical or the like shape · CPC title

• F16F15/085

  Use of both rubber and metal springs · CPC title

• F16F1/065 Primary

  characterised by loading of the coils in a radial direction (canted-coil springs F16F1/045) · CPC title