Pneumatic isolator

Claim 2

A spring device for insertion between two elements for the purpose of providing an elastically yieldable connection between said elements, said device comprising: a hollow block having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends spaced along said axis; an end wall secured to said block at said first end and a substantially planar elastically deformable diaphragm attached to said block at said second end, said end wall and said diaphragm cooperating with said block to define a sealed chamber capable of being pressurized with a compressible fluid; and means communicating with said chamber for pressurizing said chamber with a compressible fluid; said block being elastically deformable so that it can shorten under a compressive load applied parallel to said axis; said diaphragm and fluid under pressure in said chamber coacting as a pneumatic spring capable of supporting a compressive load applied parallel to said axis, said pneumatic spring having a spring stiffness along said axis less than that of said block; and said diaphragm being displaceable under an increasing compressive load to a position within said chamber such that substantially all of said load is carried by said block.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1 further including means for connecting said first end to one of said two elements and means for attaching said diaphragm to the other of said two elements.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2 wherein said diaphragm has a boss at its center, and further wherein said means for attaching said diaphragm to the other of said two elements is affixed to said boss.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 3 wherein said attaching means includes a hollow internally threaded portion that is embedded in said boss in concentric relation to said axis.

Claim 6

A spring device according to claim 1 wherein said block is cylindrical and further including a plurality of spaced reinforcing rings surrounding and engaging the outer surface of said block for minimizing radial expansion of said block.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 1 wherein the vertical and horizontal stiffness components thereof have a ratio of approximately 1:1.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 1 wherein said means for pressurizing said chamber comprises normally closed valve means mounted in said block.

Claim 9

An isolator device for insertion between two elements for the purpose of reducing the amount of mechanical vibrations transmitted from one to the other of said elements, said device comprising: a hollow block defining an interior space and having a longitudinal axis; first and second means spaced along said axis and attached to said block at first and second opposite ends respectively thereof, said first and second means closing off said interior space so as to form a fluid-tight chamber; said first means comprising a diaphragm that extends at substantially a right angle to said axis and means for coupling said diaphragm to one of said elements; and means for connecting said second opposite end of said block to the other of said elements; said diaphragm being made of an elastically deformable material so that it can be bent and stretched and thereby move toward or away from said second end of said block to compress or expand a compressible fluid in said chamber in accordance with the pressure of said fluid and in response to changes in a compressive load applied parallel to said axis; said block also being made of an elastically deformable material, and said diaphragm being connected thereto so that substantially all of a compressive load applied parallel to said axis is carried by said diaphragm and the fluid in said chamber until said load exceeds a predetermined amount and when said load exceeds said predetermined amount substantially all of said load is carried by said block.

Claim 10

An isolator device for insertion between two elements for the purpose of reducing the amount of mechanical vibrations transmitted from one to the other of said elements, said device comprising: a hollow block defining an interior space and having a longitudinal axis; first and second means spaced along said axis and attached to said block at first and second opposite ends respectively thereof, said first and second means closing off said interior space so as to form a fluid-tight chamber; said first means comprising a diaphragm that extends at substantially a right angle to said axis and means for coupling said diaphragm to one of said elements; and means for connecting said second opposite end of said block to the other of said elements; said diaphragm being made of an elastically deformable material so that it can be bent and stretched and thereby move toward or away from said second end of said block to compress or expand a compressible fluid in said chamber in accordance with the pressure of said fluid and in response to changes in a compressive load applied parallel to said axis; said block also being made of an elastically deformable material, and said diaphragm being connected thereto so that substantially all of a compressive load applied parallel to said axis is carried by said diaphragm and the fluid in said chamber until said load exceeds a predetermined amount and when said load exceeds said predetermined amount substantially all of said load is carried by said block.

Claim 11

An isolator according to claim 8 wherein said diaphragm is made of the same material as said block and is integral with said block.

Claim 12

An isolator according to claim 8 wherein said first means comprises an end wall of elastically deformable material formed integral with said block, with said diaphragm being an annular portion of said wall and said means for coupling said diaphragm to said one element comprising a center portion of said wall.

Claim 13

An isolator according to claim 10 wherein said annular portion has a smaller wall thickness than said center portion.

Claim 14

An isolator according to claim 10 wherein said means for coupling said diaphragm to one of said elements comprises a mounting plate secured to said center portion of said end wall.

Claim 15

An isolator according to claim 12 wherein said center portion of said end wall comprises a boss and said mounting plate is attached to said boss.

Claim 16

An isolator according to claim 13 wherein said boss has a cavity and said mounting plate includes a projecting section extending into said cavity.

Claim 17

An isolator according to claim 14 wherein said projecting section has a threaded hole aligned with said axis for engagement of a threaded member for connecting said one element to said mounting plate.

Claim 18

An isolator according to claim 14 wherein said projecting section of said plate is bonded to said boss.

Claim 19

An isolator according to claim 8 further including a plurality of spaced reinforcing rings mounted to said block in coaxial relation to said axis for preventing said block from bulging out laterally away from said axis.

Claim 20

An isolator according to claim 8 further including normally closed valve means mounted in said block for injecting a compressible fluid into said chamber.

Claim 21

An isolator according to claim 8 wherein said second means comprises a relatively stiff end wall and said means for connecting said second opposite end of said block to the other of said elements comprises a flange that is integral with said end wall.

Claim 22

A spring device according to claim 1 wherein said diaphragm and said block are formed as a single part.

Claim 23

A springe device according to claim 1 wherein the configuration and size of said block in cross-section is substantially unvarying between said end wall and said diaphragm.

Claim 24

A spring device according to claim 1 including a plurality of spaced reinforcing rings surrounding and embedded in the outer surface of said block for preventing expansion of said block radially of said axis, at least one of said rings being disposed in a co-planar relation to said diaphragm.

Claim 25

A spring device for insertion between two elements for the purpose of providing an elastically yieldable connection between said elements, said device comprising: a primary pneumatic spring stage and a secondary elastomer spring stage; said secondary stage comprising a hollow block that has a longitudinal axis and is elastically deformable so that it can shorten under a compressive load applied parallel to said axis; said primary stage comprising a diaphragm attached to and closing off one end of said block and means closing off the other end of said block so as to form a closed chamber capable of being pressurized with a fluid, and a fluid under pressure in said chamber, said diaphragm extending at substantially a right angle to said axis and being elastically deformable so that it can deflect along said axis, said diaphragm and said fluid coacting to form a pneumatic spring for supporting a compressive load applied parallel to said axis; said hollow block having a greater spring stiffness along said axis than said pneumatic spring; and said diaphragm being displaceable under an increasing compressive load to a position within said chamber such that substantially all of the loAd is carried by said block.

Claim 26

A spring device for insertion between two elements for the purpose of providing an elastically yieldable connection between said elements, said device comprising: a primary pneumatic spring stage and a secondary elastomer spring stage; said secondary stage comprising a hollow block that has a longitudinal axis and is elastically deformable so that it can shorten under a compressive load applied parallel to said axis; said primary stage comprising a diaphragm attached to and closing off one end of said block and means closing off the other end of said block so as to form a closed chamber capable of being pressurized with a fluid, and a fluid under pressure in said chamber, said diaphragm extending at substantially a right angle to said axis and being elastically deformable so that it can deflect along said axis, said diaphragm and said fluid coacting to form a pneumatic spring for supporting a compressive load applied parallel to said axis; said hollow block having a greater spring stiffness along said axis than said pneumatic spring; and said diaphragm being displaceable under an increasing compressive load to a position within said chamber such that substantially all of the loAd is carried by said block.

Claim 27

A device according to claim 23 wherein said diaphragm comprises a relatively stiff center portion and a relatively flexible annular portion that surrounds said center portion and is attached to said block, and further wherein substantially all of the deformation of said diaphragm under an increasing compressive load is experienced by said annular portion.