US3864922A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sealed cushioning unit
Assignee: Halliburton Co
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Filing: 1974-03-22
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Granted: 1975-02-11
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Expires: 1994-03-22
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for cushioning motion and dissipating impact energy, preferably in a marine environment, including a piston and cylinder assembly, impedance means associated with the piston and cylinder for impeding translation of the piston within the cylinder assembly and an isolation and restoring assembly protectively surrounding the piston and cylinder assembly and continuously biasing the piston and cylinder assembly in a normally extended position operable to dissipate impact energy. The method includes the steps of isolating the piston and cylinder assembly from an ambient environment, cushioning impact forces imparted to the piston and cylinder assembly and restoring the assembly in an extended posture operable to dissipate subsequent impact energy imparted thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 Darrell D Dial
- 👤 Bose Robert J Von
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 06:54
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B3/00; E02B3/20; E02B3/26; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A30/00; Y02A30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
353 words
Apparatus operable to be positioned between a marine means and a protective bumper means for dissipating energy imparted to the protective bumper means by permitting cushioned relative movement of the protective bumper means relative to the marine means, said apparatus comprising: cylinder means having wall means including, side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, piston body means translatably mounted within said side wall means of said cylinder means, and piston rod means translatably projecting through said first end wall means of said cylinder means and having a first end thereof connected to said piston body means; means for operably connecting said second end wall means of said cylinder means to one of the marine means and the protective bumper means; means for operably connecting said second, distal, end of said piston rod means to the other one of the marine means and the protective bumper means; impedance means associated with said cylinder means and said piston means for cushioning translation of said piston body means from a normal position of adjacency to said first end wall wherein said apparatus is in an extended posture operably ready to dissipate energy imparted to the protective bumper means to a position of adjacency to said second end wall wherEin said apparatus is in a closed posture operably following dissipation of energy imparted to the protective bumper means; and means surrounding said cylinder means and said piston means, and generally extending between said means for operably connecting said second end wall to one of the marine means and the protective bumper means and said means for operably connecting a second, distal, end of said piston rod means to the other one of the marine means and the protective bumper means, for isolating said cylinder means and said piston means from a surrounding marine environment and for continuously biasing said piston body means to a normal position of adjacency to said first end wall wherein said apparatus is in an extended posture operably ready to dissipate energy imparted to the protective bumper means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
353 words
Apparatus operable to be positioned between a marine means and a protective bumper means for dissipating energy imparted to the protective bumper means by permitting cushioned relative movement of the protective bumper means relative to the marine means, said apparatus comprising: cylinder means having wall means including, side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, piston body means translatably mounted within said side wall means of said cylinder means, and piston rod means translatably projecting through said first end wall means of said cylinder means and having a first end thereof connected to said piston body means; means for operably connecting said second end wall means of said cylinder means to one of the marine means and the protective bumper means; means for operably connecting said second, distal, end of said piston rod means to the other one of the marine means and the protective bumper means; impedance means associated with said cylinder means and said piston means for cushioning translation of said piston body means from a normal position of adjacency to said first end wall wherein said apparatus is in an extended posture operably ready to dissipate energy imparted to the protective bumper means to a position of adjacency to said second end wall wherEin said apparatus is in a closed posture operably following dissipation of energy imparted to the protective bumper means; and means surrounding said cylinder means and said piston means, and generally extending between said means for operably connecting said second end wall to one of the marine means and the protective bumper means and said means for operably connecting a second, distal, end of said piston rod means to the other one of the marine means and the protective bumper means, for isolating said cylinder means and said piston means from a surrounding marine environment and for continuously biasing said piston body means to a normal position of adjacency to said first end wall wherein said apparatus is in an extended posture operably ready to dissipate energy imparted to the protective bumper means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
221 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 1 wherein said means surrounding said cylinder means for isolating and for biasing comprises: a longitudinally extending housing means coaxially positioned about said cylinder means; an elastomeric annulus connected to and extending between one end of said housing means and one of said means for operably connecting said second end wall means of said cylinder means and said means for operably connecting said second, distal, end of said piston rod means; annular means connected to and extending between the other end of said housing and the other of said means for operably connecting said second end wall means of said cylinder means and said means for operably connecting said second, distal, end of said piston rod means; said housing means, elastomeric annulus, and said annular means being operably to enhouse said hydraulic cylinder means and said piston means for isolating said hydraulic cylinder means and said piston means from a surrounding marine environment; and said housing means, elastomeric annulus and said annular means being longitudinally dimensioned such that said elastomeric means exhibits a positive outward bias of said second, distal, end of said piston rod means away from said cylinder means for maintaining said piston body means in a normal position of adjacency to said first end wall of said cylinder means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
91 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 2 wherein said annular means comprises: a second elastomeric annulus; and said housing means, said elastomeric annulus and said second elastomeric annulus being longitudinally dimensioned such that said elastomeric annulus and said second elastomeric annulus both are prestressed to exhibit a positive outward bias of said second, distal, end of said piston rod means away from said cylinder means even though said piston body means is in a normal position of adjacency to aid first end wall of said hydraulic cylinder means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 3 wherein: said elastomeric annulus and said second elastomeric annulus being each generally frustoconically configured wherein translation of said second, distal, end of said piston rod means is biased away from said cylinder means by annular flexure and shear forces in both said elastomeric annulus and said second elastomeric annulus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for operably connecting said second, distal, end of said piston rod means to the other of the marine means and the protective bumper means includes: universal mounting means for minimizing transmission of bending force moments into said second, distal, end of said piston rod means from the other of the marine means and the protective bumper means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for operably connected said second end wall means of said cylinder means to one of the marine means and the protective bumper means includes: universal mounting means or minimizing transmission of bending force moments into said second end wall means of saId cylinder means from one of the marine means and the protective bumper means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
284 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 1 wherein said impedance means comprises: interior impedance zone means located within said cylinder means, said impedance zone means containing a fluid, and being operable to impede translation of said piston body means within said cylinder means, with said piston body means in combination with said cylinder side wall means defining buff and restored ends of said impedance zone means located on longitudinally opposite sides of said translatably mounted piston body means; generally fluid light housing means comprising generally mutually sealed side and end wall portions operable to surround and enhouse said hydraulic cylinder means and defining, generally annular return flow passage means surrounding said side wall means of said cylinder means and being operable to receive fluid expelled from said impedance zone means in response to movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; at least one port means extending through said cylinder means for providing fluid communication between said buff end of said impedance zone means and said generally annular return flow passage means and being operable to impede the flow of fluid out of said buff end impedance zone means in response to buff force induced movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; and at least another port means extending through said cylinder means for providing fluid communication between said restored end of said impedance zone means and said generally annular return flow passage means and being operable to impede the flow of fluid out of said restored end impedance zone means in response to restoring force induced movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 7 wherein said at least one port means comprises: a plurality of ports radially extending through said cylinder side wall means and being longitudinally spaced from the buff end in an exponential pattern toward the restored end of said cylinder means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
178 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 8 and further comprising: a plurality of normally closed preset check valve means, one being positioned in each of an initial plurality of said plurality of radially extending exponentially spaced ports with the remainder of the radial ports positioned nearest to the restored end of said cylinder means remaining unvalved wherein first low level buff forces tending to translate said piston body means toward the bluff end of said cylinder means will be dissipated by displacing fluid from said buff end impedance zone into said annular return flow passage through said radial ports positioned nearest to the restored end of said cylinder means without overcoming the preset condition of said plurality of check valve means while second high level buff forces tending to translate said piston body means toward the buff end of said cylinder means will be dissipated by overcoming the preset condition of said normally closed check valve means and displacing fluid through each of said plurality of exponentially spaced radially extending ports into said annular chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 9 wherein: each of said plurality of radially extending exponentially spaced ports through said cylinder side wall means are fitted with one of said plurality of normally closed check valve means with the lone exception of the radially extending portion nearest the restored end of said cylinder means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 9 wherein said plurality of check valves include: means for maintaining a second, higher level preset condition and greater flow capacity wherein third very high level impact forces tending to translate said piston body means toward the buff enD of said cylinder means will be dissipated by displacing fluid from said buff end impedance zone into said annular return flow passage through said plurality of check valve means in said second greater flow capacity condition.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
116 words
An apparatus for dissipating energy as defined in claim 9 wherein: said at least another port means comprises a relatively high capacity unitary port radially extending through said cylinder wall means at said restored end thereof and being further operable to provide a return flow path for fluid from said generally annular return passage means into said restored impedance zone during buff movement of said piston body means; and relatively high capacity check valve means carried by said cylinder means at the buffer end thereof and being operable to provide a return flow path for fluid from said generally annular return passage means into said buff impedance zone during restoring movement of said piston body means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
349 words
A method for dissipating energy imparted to a marine protective bumper means with apparatus mounted between the marine bumper means and a marine means including: cylinder means having wall means including, side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, piston body means translatably mounted within said side wall means of said cylinder means, and piston rod means translatably projecting through said first end wall means of said cylinder means and having a first end thereof connected to said piston body means; the steps of said method comprising: isolating said piston and cylinder means from an ambient marine environment by surrounding said cylinder means with a longitudinally extending housing connected to said cylinder means at one end thereof and to a distal end of the piston rod means at the other end thereof with elastomeric annulus members; cushioning low level impact forces imparted against the marine protective bumper means by flexing and shearing said elastomeric annulus members, and translating said piston body means within said cylinder means from a position generally adjacent said first end wall toward said second end wall and metering fluid within said cylinder means through at least one open port means fashioned through said cylinder wall means and into an annular chamber surrounding said cylinder means and returning the fluid back to the interior of said cylinder means through at least a second open aperture fashioned through said cylinder wall means between a second opposite face of said piston body means and said first end wall means; and restoring said piston body means to a position generally adjacent said first end wall means by generally axial forces imparted to the distal end of the piston rod means from the developed flexing and shearing of said elastomeric annulus members while metering fluid from within said cylinder means through said at least a second open aperture into said annular chamber surrounding said cylinder means and back to the interior of said cylinder means at least in part through said at least one open aperture.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
349 words
A method for dissipating energy imparted to a marine protective bumper means with apparatus mounted between the marine bumper means and a marine means including: cylinder means having wall means including, side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, piston body means translatably mounted within said side wall means of said cylinder means, and piston rod means translatably projecting through said first end wall means of said cylinder means and having a first end thereof connected to said piston body means; the steps of said method comprising: isolating said piston and cylinder means from an ambient marine environment by surrounding said cylinder means with a longitudinally extending housing connected to said cylinder means at one end thereof and to a distal end of the piston rod means at the other end thereof with elastomeric annulus members; cushioning low level impact forces imparted against the marine protective bumper means by flexing and shearing said elastomeric annulus members, and translating said piston body means within said cylinder means from a position generally adjacent said first end wall toward said second end wall and metering fluid within said cylinder means through at least one open port means fashioned through said cylinder wall means and into an annular chamber surrounding said cylinder means and returning the fluid back to the interior of said cylinder means through at least a second open aperture fashioned through said cylinder wall means between a second opposite face of said piston body means and said first end wall means; and restoring said piston body means to a position generally adjacent said first end wall means by generally axial forces imparted to the distal end of the piston rod means from the developed flexing and shearing of said elastomeric annulus members while metering fluid from within said cylinder means through said at least a second open aperture into said annular chamber surrounding said cylinder means and back to the interior of said cylinder means at least in part through said at least one open aperture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
164 words
A method for dissipating energy imparted to a marine protective bumper means as defined in claim 13 and further comprising the steps of: cushioning relatively higher level impact forces imparted against the marine protective bumper means by, unseating a plurality of normally closed preset valve means covering at least some of a plurality of radially directed port means fashioned through said cylinder wall means between the first face of said piston body means and said second end wall means, said plurality of ports being exponentially spaced from said second end wall toward first face of said piston body, and metering fluid through said plurality of unseated preset valve means from within said cylinder means into the annular chamber surrounding said cylinder means and returning the fluid baCk to the interior of said cylinder means through said at least a second open aperture fashioned through said cylinder wall means between the second opposite face of said piston body means and said first end wall means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
125 words
A method for dissipating energy imparted to a marine protective bumper means as defined in claim 14 and further comprising the steps of: cushioning relatively very high level impact forces imparted against the marine protective bumper means by, unseating the plurality of normally closed preset valve means to a second higher level pressure condition and high volume flow rate for metering fluid through said plurality of unseated preset valve means from within said cylinder means into the annular chamber surrounding said cylinder means and returning the fluid back to the interior of said cylinder means through said at least a second open aperture fashioned through said cylinder wall means between the second opposite face of said piston body means and said first end wall means.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
322 words
A method for dissipating energy imparted to a marine protective bumper means with apparatus mounted between the marine bumper means and a marine means including: cylinder means having wall means including, side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, a piston body means translatably mounted within said side wall means within said cylinder means, and piston rod means translatably projecting through said first end wall means of said cylinder means and having a first end thereof connected to said piston body means; the steps of said method comprising: isolating said piston and cylinder means from an ambient marine environment by surrounding said cylinder means with a longitudinally extending housing connected to said cylinder means at one end thereof and to a distal end of the piston rod means at the other end thereof with elastomeric annulus members; cushioning impact forces imparted against the marine protective bumper means, by flexing and shearing said elastomeric annulus members, and translating said piston body means within said cylinder means from a position generally adjacent said first end wall toward said second end wall, unseating a plurality of normally closed preset valve means covering at least some of a plurality of radially directed port means fashioned through said cylinder wall means between the first face of said piston body means and said second end wall means, said plurality of port means being exponentially spaced from said second end wall means toward the first face of said piston body, and metering fluid through said plurality of unseated preset valve means from within said cylinder means into the annular chamber surrounding said cylinder means and returning the fluid back to the interior of said cylinder means through at least a second open aperture fashioned through said cylinder wall means between the second opposite face of said piston body means and said first end wall means.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
322 words
A method for dissipating energy imparted to a marine protective bumper means with apparatus mounted between the marine bumper means and a marine means including: cylinder means having wall means including, side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, a piston body means translatably mounted within said side wall means within said cylinder means, and piston rod means translatably projecting through said first end wall means of said cylinder means and having a first end thereof connected to said piston body means; the steps of said method comprising: isolating said piston and cylinder means from an ambient marine environment by surrounding said cylinder means with a longitudinally extending housing connected to said cylinder means at one end thereof and to a distal end of the piston rod means at the other end thereof with elastomeric annulus members; cushioning impact forces imparted against the marine protective bumper means, by flexing and shearing said elastomeric annulus members, and translating said piston body means within said cylinder means from a position generally adjacent said first end wall toward said second end wall, unseating a plurality of normally closed preset valve means covering at least some of a plurality of radially directed port means fashioned through said cylinder wall means between the first face of said piston body means and said second end wall means, said plurality of port means being exponentially spaced from said second end wall means toward the first face of said piston body, and metering fluid through said plurality of unseated preset valve means from within said cylinder means into the annular chamber surrounding said cylinder means and returning the fluid back to the interior of said cylinder means through at least a second open aperture fashioned through said cylinder wall means between the second opposite face of said piston body means and said first end wall means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-10 | 1978-08-12 | 1979-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-10 | 1982-08-12 | 1983-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-10 | 1986-08-12 | 1987-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |