US3743266A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Energy absorbing isolation system
Assignee: INCA Manufacturing CORP
•
Filing: 1971-08-26
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Granted: 1973-07-03
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Expires: 1991-08-26
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to a novel energy absorbing isolation device which will absorb and dissipate a major portion of the energy associated with vehicle collisions. The present invention comprises a cylindrical tube, housing a plurality of Belleville spring washers which are compressed on impact by the wide portion of a movable shaft having a relatively wide portion and a relatively narrow portion. The relatively narrow portion of the shaft advances axially into the cylindrical tube as the Belleville washers are compressed. The energy of impact is absorbed and dissipated by compression of the Belleville washers and by interactions between the washers, the inside surface of the cylindrical tube, and the narrow portion of the shaft.
Inventors
- 👤 O Sturman
- 👤 G Roberts
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 07:45
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16F; F16F3/00; F16F3/02; B; B60; B60R; B60R19/00; B60R19/02; B60R19/24; B60R19/26; B60R19/28; F16F1/00; F16F1/02; F16F1/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of cross sectional dimension d1 extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers having a maximum dimension d2, less than d1, adapted to be compressed and thereupon to expand, stacked axially within said bore, said dimensions d1 and d2 having a ratio such that, upon compression of said Belleville spring washers, the dimension d2 approaches and exceeds the dimension d1; a movable shaft axially positioned within said bore, adapted to receive high energy loads, and further adapted to advance within said bore in response to said loads; said shaft having a first portion of relatively large diameter and a second portion of relatively small diameter, said first portion positioned at one end of said stack of Belleville washers for compressing said washers upon advance of said shaft, said second portion positioned axially within said stack of Belleville washers and advancing with said first portion; whereby, upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said outer periphery of said Belleville washers and the inner surface of said bore, and contact is made between said inner periphery of said Belleville washers and the surface of said second portion of said movable shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of cross sectional dimension d1 extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers having a maximum dimension d2, less than d1, adapted to be compressed and thereupon to expand, stacked axially within said bore, said dimensions d1 and d2 having a ratio such that, upon compression of said Belleville spring washers, the dimension d2 approaches and exceeds the dimension d1; a movable shaft axially positioned within said bore, adapted to receive high energy loads, and further adapted to advance within said bore in response to said loads; said shaft having a first portion of relatively large diameter and a second portion of relatively small diameter, said first portion positioned at one end of said stack of Belleville washers for compressing said washers upon advance of said shaft, said second portion positioned axially within said stack of Belleville washers and advancing with said first portion; whereby, upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said outer periphery of said Belleville washers and the inner surface of said bore, and contact is made between said inner periphery of said Belleville washers and the surface of said second portion of said movable shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said bore has a circular cross-section, said cross-sectional dimension is a diameter d1, and in which said Belleville spring washers are circular and said maximum dimension is a diameter d2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said bore has a polygonal cross-section, said cross-sectional dimension is a length l1 and in which said Belleville springs are correspondingly polygonal and said maximum dimension is length l2, where l1 corresponds to d1 and l2 corresponds to d2.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a plurality of movable separation elements, said plurality dividing the plurality of BellevillE spring washers into segments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 further including means coupled to said support member with said bore and to said movable shaft, together with said plurality of movable separation elements, for maintaining said movable shaft in a position substantially axial within said bore when said high energy loads are side loads.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the end of said second portion of said shaft is of smaller diameter than the remainder of said second portion of said shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said end of said second portion of said shaft is bevelled and in which at least one of said separation elements is biased.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said Belleville washers have an inner opening with a minimum dimension of d3 and said shaft has a maximum diameter of d4, upon compression of said washers, the dimension d3 approaches and can be less than d4 for dissipating a substantial portion of the energy by frictional contact between the inner opening of said Belleville washers and said movable shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a substantial portion of energy dissipated is in frictional contact between the outer dimension of said Belleville washers and the inner dimension d1 of said bore.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
An automobile bumper utilizing the isolation device of claim 1 comprising: a pair of energy absorbing isolation devices, according to claim 1, mounted one on each side of the frame of the automobile; a telescoping cross bar pivotably mounted at each end thereof, to one of said movable shafts of said energy absorbing isolation devices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
195 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of circular cross-section extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers stacked axially within said bore; said washers adapted, upon compression thereof to increase their outer diameter and decrease their inner diameter; a movable shaft axially positioned within said bore, adapted to receive high energy loads, and further adapted to advance within said bore in response to said loads; said shaft having a first portion of relatively large diameter and a second portion of relatively small diameter; said first portion positioned at one end of said stack of Belleville washers for compressing said washers upon advance of said shaft; said second portion positioned axially within said stack of Belleville washers and advancing with said first portion, whereby upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said outer periphery of said Belleville washers and the inner surface of said bore and contact is made between said inner periphery of said Belleville washers and the surface of said second portion of said movable shaft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
195 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of circular cross-section extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers stacked axially within said bore; said washers adapted, upon compression thereof to increase their outer diameter and decrease their inner diameter; a movable shaft axially positioned within said bore, adapted to receive high energy loads, and further adapted to advance within said bore in response to said loads; said shaft having a first portion of relatively large diameter and a second portion of relatively small diameter; said first portion positioned at one end of said stack of Belleville washers for compressing said washers upon advance of said shaft; said second portion positioned axially within said stack of Belleville washers and advancing with said first portion, whereby upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said outer periphery of said Belleville washers and the inner surface of said bore and contact is made between said inner periphery of said Belleville washers and the surface of said second portion of said movable shaft.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
163 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a plurality of Belleville spring washers each having a central opening; a support means adapted to receive the axial stack of Belleville washers; a movable shaft axially positioned within said support means adapted to receive high energy loads and further adapted to advance within said support member in response to said loads; said shaft having a first portion of relatively large diameter and a second portion of relatively small diameter, said first portion positioned at one end of said stack of Belleville washers for compressing said washers upon advance of said shaft, said second portion positioned axially within said stack of Belleville washers and advancing with said first portion; whereby, upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between saiD central opening of said Belleville washers and the surface of said second portion of said movable shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
163 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a plurality of Belleville spring washers each having a central opening; a support means adapted to receive the axial stack of Belleville washers; a movable shaft axially positioned within said support means adapted to receive high energy loads and further adapted to advance within said support member in response to said loads; said shaft having a first portion of relatively large diameter and a second portion of relatively small diameter, said first portion positioned at one end of said stack of Belleville washers for compressing said washers upon advance of said shaft, said second portion positioned axially within said stack of Belleville washers and advancing with said first portion; whereby, upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between saiD central opening of said Belleville washers and the surface of said second portion of said movable shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 in which said shaft second portion has a circular cross-section, said cross-sectional dimension is a diameter d1 and in which said Belleville spring washers have a circular central opening, and the normal dimensions of said central opening is a diameter d2 where d2 is normally greater than d1, but upon compression of said Belleville spring washers, d2 diminishes and becomes less than d1.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 in which said shaft second portion has a polygonal cross-section, said cross-sectional dimension is a length l1 and in which the central opening of said Belleville springs is correspondingly polygonal having a normal dimension of length l2 where l2 is normally greater than l1, but upon compression of said Belleville spring washers, d2 diminishes and becomes less than l1.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 further including a plurality of movable separation elements, said plurality dividing the plurality of Belleville spring washers into segments.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 15 further including means coupled to said support means and to said movable shaft, together with said plurality of movable separation elements, for maintaining said movable shaft in a position substantially axial within said support means when said high energy loads are side loads.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the end of said second portion of said shaft is of smaller diameter than the remainder of said second portion of said shaft.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 17 in which said end of said second portion of said shaft is bevelled and in which at least one of said separation elements is biased.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
55 words
An automobile bumper utilizing the isolation device of claim 12 comprising: a pair of energy absorbing isolation devices, according to claim 12, mounted one on each side of the frame of the automobile; a telescoping cross bar pivotably mounted at each end thereof to one of said movable shafts of said energy absorbing isolation devices.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
133 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of cross-sectional dimension d1 extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers having a maximum uncompressed dimension d2, less than d1, adapted to be compressed and thereupon to expand to a dimension greater than d1, stacked axially within said bore; and a movable shaft axially positioned within said bore adapted to receive high energy loads and further adapted to advance within said bore in response to said loads, for compressing said washers upon advance of said shaft, whereby, upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said outer periphery of said Belleville washers and the inner surface of said bore.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
133 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of cross-sectional dimension d1 extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers having a maximum uncompressed dimension d2, less than d1, adapted to be compressed and thereupon to expand to a dimension greater than d1, stacked axially within said bore; and a movable shaft axially positioned within said bore adapted to receive high energy loads and further adapted to advance within said bore in response to said loads, for compressing said washers upon advance of said shaft, whereby, upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said outer periphery of said Belleville washers and the inner surface of said bore.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
156 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of circular cross-section extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers having central openings stacked axially within said bore; said washers adapted, upon compression thereof, to increase their outer diameter and decrease their inner diameter; a shaft having a diameter less than the uncompressed inner diameter and greater than the compressed inner diameter of said washers axially positioned within said central openings adapted for movement relative to said support member in response to said loads; and means for compressing said washers in response to relaTive motion between said support member and said shaft resulting from applied high energy input loads, whereby upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said central openings of said Belleville washers and the outer surface of said shaft.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
156 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of circular cross-section extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers having central openings stacked axially within said bore; said washers adapted, upon compression thereof, to increase their outer diameter and decrease their inner diameter; a shaft having a diameter less than the uncompressed inner diameter and greater than the compressed inner diameter of said washers axially positioned within said central openings adapted for movement relative to said support member in response to said loads; and means for compressing said washers in response to relaTive motion between said support member and said shaft resulting from applied high energy input loads, whereby upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said central openings of said Belleville washers and the outer surface of said shaft.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
173 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high-energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of circular cross-section extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers stacked axially within said bore; said washers adapted, upon compression thereof to increase their outer diameter and decrease their inner diameter; a shaft axially positioned within said bore adapted to advance within said bore in response to applied high energy loads; said shaft having a first portion of relatively large diameter and a second portion of relatively small diameter; said first portion positioned at one end of said stack of Belleville washers for compressing said washers upon motion of said shaft relative to said support member in an advancing direction; said second portion positioned axially within said stack of Belleville washers and advancing with said first portion, whereby upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said outer periphery of said Belleville washers and the inner surface of said bore.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
173 words
An energy absorbing isolation device for receiving and dissipating a major portion of the energy associated with relatively high-energy impact loads, said device comprising: a support member having a bore of circular cross-section extending therethrough; a plurality of Belleville spring washers stacked axially within said bore; said washers adapted, upon compression thereof to increase their outer diameter and decrease their inner diameter; a shaft axially positioned within said bore adapted to advance within said bore in response to applied high energy loads; said shaft having a first portion of relatively large diameter and a second portion of relatively small diameter; said first portion positioned at one end of said stack of Belleville washers for compressing said washers upon motion of said shaft relative to said support member in an advancing direction; said second portion positioned axially within said stack of Belleville washers and advancing with said first portion, whereby upon compression of said washers, frictional contact is made between said outer periphery of said Belleville washers and the inner surface of said bore.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
102 words
An energy absorbing isolation device comprising: a support member having a bore extending therein, a plurality of Belleville spring washers having central openings stacked axially within said bore, a shaft axially positioned to extend through said central openings and movable relative to said support member in response to relatively high-impact axial loading, means for compressing said washers in response to relative motion between said support member and said shaft resulting from axial loading, and guide means acting cooperatively with said shaft and said support member to maintain the axial position of and support said shaft when it is subjected to angled impacts.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
102 words
An energy absorbing isolation device comprising: a support member having a bore extending therein, a plurality of Belleville spring washers having central openings stacked axially within said bore, a shaft axially positioned to extend through said central openings and movable relative to said support member in response to relatively high-impact axial loading, means for compressing said washers in response to relative motion between said support member and said shaft resulting from axial loading, and guide means acting cooperatively with said shaft and said support member to maintain the axial position of and support said shaft when it is subjected to angled impacts.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said guide means comprises at least a pair of spaced rings axially positioned to surround said shaft within said support member and adapted to interact with said shaft and said support member to position and support said shaft under angled impacts.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein one said ring is fixed to said shaft adjacent the foremost of said Belleville spring washers.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein each remaining said ring is unattached to either said shaft or said support member and is held in position by said Belleville spring washers.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
57 words
An energy absorbing device comprising a stack of Belleville spring washers, a space of annular section for the stack of washers defined between inner and outer members which can move relatively to each other to compress the washers, the washers being capable when compressed of interfering with the opposing surface of at least one of the members.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
57 words
An energy absorbing device comprising a stack of Belleville spring washers, a space of annular section for the stack of washers defined between inner and outer members which can move relatively to each other to compress the washers, the washers being capable when compressed of interfering with the opposing surface of at least one of the members.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2708110A
Cited
US3498488A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-02 | 1977-01-01 | 1977-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-02 | 1981-01-01 | 1981-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-02 | 1985-01-01 | 1985-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |