Telescoping strut shock isolator

Claim 1

A shock isolator apparatus containing pressurised air, characterised in that the apparatus comprises: a cylinder (2l) having a first (23), second (24) and third (25) chamber, the first chamber being positioned between a primary cylinder head (44), having a central opening therethrough disposed at a first end of the cylinder and a first intermediate cylinder head (3l) disposed within the cylinder at a predetermined distance from the primary cylinder head, the second chamber being positioned between the first intermediate cylinder head and a second intermediate cylinder head (43) disposed within the cylinder a predetermined distance from the first intermediate cylinder head, with the first and second intermediate cylinder head (3l and 43) having a central opening and a plurality of orifices (30, 32) therethrough, and the third chamber being positioned between the second intermediate cylinder head and a baseplate (45) affixed to a second end of said cylinder; a piston assembly (20) fitted within the cylinder (2l) and having a first (27) and second (28) piston head adapted to move within the first and second chambers, respectively, upon application of a compressive load to the piston assembly, the second piston head (28) having a plurality of orifices (38, 38a) therethrough for allowing the pressurised air to pass through the orifices more easily in one direction than in an opposite direction, a hollow piston guide tube (26) fixedly attached at a first end to the first piston head (27), the guide tube having a plurality of openings (29) therethrough for communicating with the first chamber, and the guide tube passing through the central opening in the first and second intermediate cylinder heads and having a second end with an opening therethrough for communicating with the third chamber.