Vehicle engine mount

Claim 1

An apparatus for controlling relative movement of first and second parts, said apparatus comprising: means defining a chamber filled with a field responsive fluid, said means including a first flexible wall for connection with one of said parts; said chamber having a first control chamber portion defined by a first portion of said first flexible wall and a main chamber portion defined by a second portion of said first flexible wall; means defining a first gap for fluid to flow between said first control chamber portion and said main chamber portion upon relative movement of said first and second parts; and first field producing means energizeable through an energization range for controlling the shear strength of the field responsive fluid in said first gap to control flow from said first control chamber portion to said main chamber portion to thereby control flexing of said first portion of said first flexible wall and thus relative movement of said first and second parts, said first field producing means being energizeable at a predetermined energization level to block flow of the field responsive fluid through said first gap to thereby stiffen said first portion of said first flexible wall relative to said second portion of said first flexible wall, said first portion of said first flexible wall being inhibited from flexing and said second portion of said first flexible wall flexing relative to said first portion of said flexible well when said first and second parts move relative to each other and said first portion of said first flexible wall is stiffened relative to said second portion of said first flexible wall.

Claim 2

An apparatus for controlling relative movement of first and second parts, said apparatus comprising: means defining a chamber filled with a field responsive fluid, said means including a first flexible wall for connection with one of said parts; said chamber having a first control chamber portion defined by a first portion of said first flexible wall and a main chamber portion defined by a second portion of said first flexible wall; means defining a first gap for fluid to flow between said first control chamber portion and said main chamber portion upon relative movement of said first and second parts; and first field producing means energizeable through an energization range for controlling the shear strength of the field responsive fluid in said first gap to control flow from said first control chamber portion to said main chamber portion to thereby control flexing of said first portion of said first flexible wall and thus relative movement of said first and second parts, said first field producing means being energizeable at a predetermined energization level to block flow of the field responsive fluid through said first gap to thereby stiffen said first portion of said first flexible wall relative to said second portion of said first flexible wall, said first portion of said first flexible wall being inhibited from flexing and said second portion of said first flexible wall flexing relative to said first portion of said flexible well when said first and second parts move relative to each other and said first portion of said first flexible wall is stiffened relative to said second portion of said first flexible wall.

Claim 8

An apparatus for controlling movement of a vehicle engine toward a vehicle chassis, said apparatus comprising: a housing connectable to the chassis and a hub connectable to the engine, said hub being movable toward said housing, said housing defining in part a fluid chamber located within said housing and having fluid responsive to a magnetic field contained therein; an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder concentric with said inner cylinder, said inner and outer cylinders being movable in the fluid chamber; and an outer electromagnetic assembly fixedly connected to said housing and located between said housing and said outer cylinder, an inner electromagnetic assembly fixedly connected to said hub and located in a space interior of said inner cylinder, said outer electromagnetic assembly and said outer cylinder defining an outer annular gap therebetween communicating with the fluid chamber, said inner electromagnetic assembly and said inner cylinder defining an inner annular gap therebetween communicating with the fluid chamber, said inner and outer electromagnetic assemblies being selectively energizeable for controlling the shear strength of the fluid in the inner and outer annular gaps, respectively, and to thereby control movement of said hub toward said housing and thus movement of the vehicle engine toward the vehicle chassis.

Claim 9

An apparatus for controlling movement of a vehicle engine toward a vehicle chassis, said apparatus comprising: a housing connectable to the chassis and a hub connectable to the engine, said hub being movable toward said housing, said housing defining in part a fluid chamber located within said housing and having fluid responsive to a magnetic field contained therein; an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder concentric with said inner cylinder, said inner and outer cylinders being movable in the fluid chamber; and an outer electromagnetic assembly fixedly connected to said housing and located between said housing and said outer cylinder, an inner electromagnetic assembly fixedly connected to said hub and located in a space interior of said inner cylinder, said outer electromagnetic assembly and said outer cylinder defining an outer annular gap therebetween communicating with the fluid chamber, said inner electromagnetic assembly and said inner cylinder defining an inner annular gap therebetween communicating with the fluid chamber, said inner and outer electromagnetic assemblies being selectively energizeable for controlling the shear strength of the fluid in the inner and outer annular gaps, respectively, and to thereby control movement of said hub toward said housing and thus movement of the vehicle engine toward the vehicle chassis.

Claim 16

An apparatus for controlling relative movement of first and second parts, said apparatus comprising: means for connection between the parts and defining a fluid chamber and a gap communicating with said fluid chamber, said fluid chamber and said gap being filled with a field responsive fluid, the field responsive fluid flowing through said gap upon relative movement of the parts; field producing means selectively energizeable for controlling the shear strength of said field responsive fluid in said gap to thereby control movement between the parts; means defining a gas chamber located interior of said field producing means; a flexible membrane separating said fluid chamber and said gas chamber; and a body of material separate from said flexible membrane and located in said gas chamber for attenuating acoustic noise created by at least one of the parts.

Claim 17

An apparatus for controlling relative movement of first and second parts, said apparatus comprising: means for connection between the parts and defining a fluid chamber and a gap communicating with said fluid chamber, said fluid chamber and said gap being filled with a field responsive fluid, the field responsive fluid flowing through said gap upon relative movement of the parts; field producing means selectively energizeable for controlling the shear strength of said field responsive fluid in said gap to thereby control movement between the parts; means defining a gas chamber located interior of said field producing means; a flexible membrane separating said fluid chamber and said gas chamber; and a body of material separate from said flexible membrane and located in said gas chamber for attenuating acoustic noise created by at least one of the parts.

Claim 24

An apparatus for controlling relative movement of first and second parts, said apparatus comprising: means defining a chamber filled with a field responsive fluid, said means including a first flexible wall for connection with one of said parts; said chamber having a first control chamber portion defined by a first portion of said first flexible wall and a main chamber portion defined by a second portion of said first flexible wall, said chamber having a second control chamber portion defined by a third portion of said first flexible wall; means defining a first gap for fluid to flow between said first control chamber portion and said main chamber portion upon relative movement of said first and second parts; means defining a second gap for fluid to flow between said second control chamber portion and said main chamber portion upon relative movement of said first and second parts; first field producing means energizeable through an energization range for controlling the shear strength of the field responsive fluid in said first gap to control flow from said first control chamber portion to said main chamber portion to thereby control flexing of said first portion of said first flexible wall and thus relative movement of said first and second parts; second field producing means energizeable through an energization range for controlling the shear strength of the field responsive fluid in said second gap to control flow from said second control chamber portion to said main chamber portion to thereby control flexing of said third portion of said first flexible wall and thus relative movement of said first and second parts; and said second field producing means being energizeable at a predetermined energization level to stop flow of the field responsive fluid through said second gap to thereby prevent flexing of said third portion of said first flexible wall, said second portion of said first flexible wall flexing when said first and second parts move relative to each other and said third portion of said first flexible wall is prevented from flexing.

Claim 25

An apparatus for controlling relative movement of first and second parts, said apparatus comprising: means defining a chamber filled with a field responsive fluid, said means including a first flexible wall for connection with one of said parts; said chamber having a first control chamber portion defined by a first portion of said first flexible wall and a main chamber portion defined by a second portion of said first flexible wall, said chamber having a second control chamber portion defined by a third portion of said first flexible wall; means defining a first gap for fluid to flow between said first control chamber portion and said main chamber portion upon relative movement of said first and second parts; means defining a second gap for fluid to flow between said second control chamber portion and said main chamber portion upon relative movement of said first and second parts; first field producing means energizeable through an energization range for controlling the shear strength of the field responsive fluid in said first gap to control flow from said first control chamber portion to said main chamber portion to thereby control flexing of said first portion of said first flexible wall and thus relative movement of said first and second parts; second field producing means energizeable through an energization range for controlling the shear strength of the field responsive fluid in said second gap to control flow from said second control chamber portion to said main chamber portion to thereby control flexing of said third portion of said first flexible wall and thus relative movement of said first and second parts; and said second field producing means being energizeable at a predetermined energization level to stop flow of the field responsive fluid through said second gap to thereby prevent flexing of said third portion of said first flexible wall, said second portion of said first flexible wall flexing when said first and second parts move relative to each other and said third portion of said first flexible wall is prevented from flexing.