Updating a 30-Year Old Concept in Vibration Control

Fluid mountings have become a common means of supplying damping in vibrating systems at a fairly specific frequency, amplitude and direction across the mount. They have been successfully applied in the automotive and truck industries as engine and cab suspension components.

A less complex type of mounting/damper is described, drawing on the hysteresis/frictional properties of elastomers, to provide multiple axis damping properties porportional to input amplitude and that are frequency insensitive when compared to hydraulic mount designs. Although based on an old concept of multiple indenters sliding along an elastomeric layer, recent materials improvements have allowed a robust and versatile mounting/damper design to be developed and applied.