Elastomeric reflex joint

Claim 2

An elastomeric reflex joint comprising supporting and supported members having opposed spaced apart load-carrying surfaces, a plurality of elongate elastomeric bodies symmetrically disposed in parallel spaced apart relation about a pivot axis in axial compressive load-carrying relation between said loadcarrying surfaces, said bodies being substantially identical and under an axial compressive load resiliently deflecting axially and expanding circumferentially, and vane means fixedly carried by at least one of said supporting and supported members between said load-carrying surfaces and resiliently biased toward engaging relation with the periphery of at least one of said elastomeric bodies, said vane means being responsive to the circumferential expanding of said elastomeric bodies for providing relative rotation between said supporting and supported members about said pivot axis.

Claim 3

An elastomeric reflex joint comprising supporting and supported members having opposed spaced apart load-carrying surfaces, a plurality of elongate elastomeric bodies symmetrically disposed in parallel spaced apart relation about a pivot axis in axial compressive load-carrying relation between said load-carrying surfaces with opposite ends thereof interconnected with said supporting and supported members, respectively, to prevent relative movement therebetween transversely of said pivot axis, said bodies being substantially identical and under an axial compressive load resiliently deflecting axially and expanding circumferentially, and a plurality of vane means symmetrically disposed and fixedly carried by and between said supporting and supported members and extending generally radially from said pivot axis between said elastomeric bodies, said vane means carried by said supporting member being engaged by a common side of said elastomeric bodies and said vane means carried by said supported member being engaged by the diametrically opposed side of said elastomeric bodies upon circumferential expansion of said elastomeric bodies and cooperating to provide relative rotation between said supporting and supported members about said pivot axis.

Claim 4

An elastomeric reflex joint comprising supporting and supported members having opposed spaced apart load-carrying surfaces, a plurality of elongate elastomeric bodies symmetrically disposed in parallel spaced apart relation about a pivot axis in axial compressive load-carrying relation between said load-carrying surfaces with opposite ends thereof interconnected with said supporting and supported members, respectively, to prevent relative movement therebetween transversely of said pivot axis, said bodies being substantially identical and under an axial compressive load resiliently deflecting axially and expanding circumferentially, and a plurality of vane means symmetrically disposed and fixedly carried by and between said supporting and supported members and extending generally radially from said pivot axis between said elastomeric bodies, said vane means carried by said supporting member being engaged by a common side of said elastomeric bodies and said vane means carried by said supported member being engaged by the diametrically opposed side of said elastomeric bodies upon circumferential expansion of said elastomeric bodies and cooperating to provide relative rotation between said supporting and supported members about said pivot axis.

Claim 5

An elastomeric reflex joint, according to claim 2, including separate spring means resiliently biasing said vane means toward engaging relation with said elastomeric bodies.

Claim 6

An elastomeric reflex joint, according to claim 3, wherein said spring means comprises a torsion spring interconnected between said supporting and suppoRted members.

Claim 7

An elastomeric reflex joint, according to claim 2, including pivot means interconnecting said supporting and supported members and defining said pivot axis.

Claim 8

An elastomeric reflex joint, according to claim 2, wherein said elastomeric bodies are solid and have a circular cross-sectional area transverse to said pivot axis.

Claim 9

An elastomeric reflex joint, according to claim 2, including plate means bonded to opposite ends of said elastomeric bodies, and wherein said supporting and supported members have recesses disposed in said load-carrying surfaces in opposed relation to each other with said plate means received therein.

Claim 10

An elastomeric reflex joint, according to claim 7, wherein said elastomeric bodies are solid and substantially spherical.

Claim 11

An elastomeric reflex joint comprising supporting and supported members having opposed and spaced apart load-carrying surfaces a plurality of elongate solid elastomeric bodies symmetrically disposed in spaced apart relation about a pivot axis in axial compressive load-carrying relation between said load-carrying surfaces with opposite ends thereof interconnected with said supporting and supported members, respectively, to prevent relative movement therebetween transversely of said pivot axis, said bodies being substantially identical and under an axial compressive load resiliently deflecting axially and expanding circumferentially, and a plurality of vane means symmetrically disposed and fixedly carried by each of said supporting and supported members, said vane means extending generally radially from said pivot axis between said elastomeric bodies and being staggered relative to each other in nesting relation while allowing limited relative rotation between said supporting and supported members, adjacent edges of said vane means on opposite sides of said elastomeric bodies conforming generally to and normally engaging the periphery of said elastomeric bodies whereby said vane means will be responsive to the circumferential expanding of said elastomeric bodies for providing relative rotation between said supporting and supported members about said pivot axis.

Claim 12

An elastomeric reflex joint comprising supporting and supported members having opposed and spaced apart load-carrying surfaces a plurality of elongate solid elastomeric bodies symmetrically disposed in spaced apart relation about a pivot axis in axial compressive load-carrying relation between said load-carrying surfaces with opposite ends thereof interconnected with said supporting and supported members, respectively, to prevent relative movement therebetween transversely of said pivot axis, said bodies being substantially identical and under an axial compressive load resiliently deflecting axially and expanding circumferentially, and a plurality of vane means symmetrically disposed and fixedly carried by each of said supporting and supported members, said vane means extending generally radially from said pivot axis between said elastomeric bodies and being staggered relative to each other in nesting relation while allowing limited relative rotation between said supporting and supported members, adjacent edges of said vane means on opposite sides of said elastomeric bodies conforming generally to and normally engaging the periphery of said elastomeric bodies whereby said vane means will be responsive to the circumferential expanding of said elastomeric bodies for providing relative rotation between said supporting and supported members about said pivot axis.

Claim 13

An elastomeric reflex joint comprising circular supporting and supported members coaxially disposed in spaced apart relation and defining opposed planar load-carrying surfaces, said load-carrying surfaces having a plurality of opposed and aligned recesses symmetrically arranged about a pivot axis defined by the coaxial centers of said members, a plurality of substantially identical elongate solid elastomeric bodies having a circular cross sectional area transverse to their longitudinal axis, each of said elastomeric bodies being resiliently deflected axially under an axial compressive load while expanding circumferentially, a planar plate bonded to opposite ends of each of said elastomeric bodies, said elastomeric bodies being symmetrically disposed in spaced apart relation about said pivot axis in axial compressive load-carrying relation between said load-carrying surfaces with said plates received in said aligned recesses to interconnect said supporting and supported members to opposite ends of said elastomeric bodies whereby relative movement therebetween transversely of said pivot axis is prevented, a plurality of vane means symmetrically disposed and fixedly carried by each of said supporting and supported members, said vane means extending generally radially from said pivot axis between said elastomeric bodies and being staggered relative to each other in nesting relation while allowing limited relative rotation between said supporting and supported members, adjacent edges of said vane means on opposite sides of said elastomeric bodies conforming generally to and normally engaging the periphery of said elastomeric bodies whereby said vane means will be responsive to the circumferential expanding of said elastomeric bodies for providing relative rotation between said supporting and suppOrted members about said pivot axis.

Claim 14

An elastomeric reflex joint comprising circular supporting and supported members coaxially disposed in spaced apart relation and defining opposed planar load-carrying surfaces, said load-carrying surfaces having a plurality of opposed and aligned recesses symmetrically arranged about a pivot axis defined by the coaxial centers of said members, a plurality of substantially identical elongate solid elastomeric bodies having a circular cross sectional area transverse to their longitudinal axis, each of said elastomeric bodies being resiliently deflected axially under an axial compressive load while expanding circumferentially, a planar plate bonded to opposite ends of each of said elastomeric bodies, said elastomeric bodies being symmetrically disposed in spaced apart relation about said pivot axis in axial compressive load-carrying relation between said load-carrying surfaces with said plates received in said aligned recesses to interconnect said supporting and supported members to opposite ends of said elastomeric bodies whereby relative movement therebetween transversely of said pivot axis is prevented, a plurality of vane means symmetrically disposed and fixedly carried by each of said supporting and supported members, said vane means extending generally radially from said pivot axis between said elastomeric bodies and being staggered relative to each other in nesting relation while allowing limited relative rotation between said supporting and supported members, adjacent edges of said vane means on opposite sides of said elastomeric bodies conforming generally to and normally engaging the periphery of said elastomeric bodies whereby said vane means will be responsive to the circumferential expanding of said elastomeric bodies for providing relative rotation between said supporting and suppOrted members about said pivot axis.