Coaxial spring damper device and system

A system for absorbing shock and damping vibration, comprising:

• a first structure having a spring seat;
• a second structure having a spring seat, the second structure being positioned opposite the first structure;
• at least one spring damper device situated between the first and second structures, the at least one spring damper device comprising:
• a single directional spring having a first end positioned against the spring seat of the first structure, and a second end positioned against the spring seat of the second structure, the single directional spring defining an inner diameter region;
• and
• a viscoelastic damper situated within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring, and comprising a viscoelastic polymer comprising both an element of viscosity and an element of elasticity, the viscoelastic polymer comprising an absorption property where over 50 percent of vibration energy is absorbed at frequencies from 10 to 30,000 Hz, the viscoelastic damper further comprising a first section having a first diameter, a second section having a second diameter, and a third section having a third diameter, wherein the first and third diameters are substantially the same and are each less than the second diameter,
• wherein, in response to a load on the single directional spring from the second structure, the single directional spring operates to compress to absorb the load and an impact shock associated with the load, and the viscoelastic damper operates to dampen at least one of shock or vibration associated with the load,
• wherein the viscoelastic damper is sized and configured such that, upon a maximum compression of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic damper is maintained within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring so as to not interfere with the operation of the single directional spring, and
• wherein an entirety of the viscoelastic damper is situated between the first and second ends of the single directional spring, and
• wherein, during compression of the spring and the viscoelastic damper, the viscoelastic damper operates independently of the spring, such that the spring rate of the single directional spring is substantially unaffected by the viscoelastic damper.

A method for making a spring damper device, comprising:

• providing a single directional spring having first and second ends, and defining an inner diameter region;
• and
• providing a viscoelastic damper comprising a viscoelastic polymer comprising both an element of viscosity and an element of elasticity, the viscoelastic polymer comprising an absorption property where over 50 percent of vibration energy is absorbed at frequencies from 10 to 30,000 Hz, the viscoelastic damper being configured to extend from the first end to the second end of the single directional spring and be situated within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic damper comprising a first section having a first diameter, a second section having a second diameter, and a third section having a third diameter, wherein the first and third diameters are substantially the same and are each less than the second diameter, such that the first and third sections are formed on opposing sides of the second section,
• wherein, in response to a load on the spring damper device, the single directional spring operates to compress to absorb the load and an impact shock associated with the load, and the viscoelastic damper operates to dampen at least one of shock or vibration associated with the load,
• wherein the viscoelastic damper is sized and configured such that, upon a maximum compression of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic damper is maintained within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring so as to not interfere with the operation of the single directional spring, and
• wherein an entirety of the viscoelastic damper is situated between the first and second ends of the single directional spring, and
• wherein, during compression of the spring and the viscoelastic damper, the viscoelastic damper operates independently of the spring, such that the spring rate of the single directional spring is substantially unaffected by the viscoelastic damper.

A method for assembling a spring damper system, comprising:

• providing a first structure having a plurality of spring seats, and a second structure having a plurality of spring seats, wherein the second structure is movable relative to the first structure;
• situating a plurality of spring damper devices against respective spring seats of the first structure, wherein each spring damper device comprises a single directional spring and a viscoelastic damper situated within an inner diameter region of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic damper comprising a first section having a first diameter, a second section having a second diameter, a third section having a third diameter, wherein the first and third diameters are substantially the same and are each less than the second diameter, such that the first and third sections are formed on opposing sides of the second section, and a viscoelastic polymer comprising both an element of viscosity and an element of elasticity, and the viscoelastic polymer comprising an absorption property where over 50 percent of vibration energy is absorbed at frequencies from 10 to 30,000 Hz, wherein the viscoelastic damper is sized and configured such that, upon a maximum compression of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic damper is maintained within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring so as to not interfere with the operation of the single directional spring, and wherein an entirety of the viscoelastic damper is situated between the first and second ends of the single directional spring;
• positioning the second structure adjacent the first structure, such that the plurality of spring damper devices are biased against respective spring seats of the second structure and in a pre-loaded state, wherein each directional spring operates to attenuate an impulse shock between the first and second structures, and wherein each viscoelastic damper operates to dampen vibration between the first and second structures.

A spring damper device, comprising:

• a single directional spring having first and second ends, and defining an inner diameter region;
• and
• a viscoelastic damper comprising a viscoelastic polymer comprising both an element of viscosity and an element of elasticity, and configured to extend from the first end to the second end of the single directional spring and to be situated within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic polymer comprising an absorption property where over 50 percent of vibration energy is absorbed at frequencies from 10 to 30,000 Hz,
• wherein, in response to a load on the spring damper device, the single directional spring operates to compress to absorb the load and any impact shock associated with the load, and the viscoelastic damper operates to dampen vibration associated with the load,
• wherein the viscoelastic damper is sized and configured such that, upon a maximum compression of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic damper is maintained within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring so as to not interfere with the operation of the single directional spring,
• wherein the viscoelastic damper comprises a first section having a first diameter, a second section having a second diameter, and a third section having a third diameter, wherein the first and third diameters are substantially the same and are each less than the second diameter, and
• wherein the first and third sections have an uncompressed profile when the viscoelastic damper is in an uncompressed state, and where the first and third sections have an compressed profile when the viscoelastic damper is in a compressed state, the compressed profile being substantially the same as a profile of the second section in the uncompressed and compressed states.

A spring damper device, comprising:

• a single directional spring having first and second ends, and defining an inner diameter region;
• and
• a viscoelastic damper comprising a first section having a first diameter, a second section having a second diameter, a third section having a third diameter, wherein the first and third diameters are substantially the same and are each less than the second diameter, such that the first and third sections are formed on opposing sides of the second section, and a viscoelastic polymer comprising both an element of viscosity and an element of elasticity, and configured to extend from the first end to the second end of the single directional spring and to be situated within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic polymer comprising an absorption property where over 50 percent of vibration energy is absorbed at frequencies from 10 to 30,000 Hz,
• wherein, in response to a load on the spring damper device, the single directional spring operates to compress to absorb the load and any impact shock associated with the load, and the viscoelastic damper operates to dampen vibration associated with the load,
• wherein the viscoelastic damper is sized and configured such that, upon a maximum compression of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic damper is maintained within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring so as to not interfere with the operation of the single directional spring, and
• wherein the single directional spring comprises a height when uncompressed, and wherein the viscoelastic damper comprises a height when uncompressed, wherein the height of the spring is greater than the height of the viscoelastic damper, such that the viscoelastic damper is contained with a working range of the single directional spring, and
• wherein, during compression of the spring and the viscoelastic damper, the viscoelastic damper operates independently of the spring, such that the spring rate of the single directional spring is substantially unaffected by the viscoelastic damper.

A spring damper device, comprising:

• a single directional spring having first and second ends, and defining an inner diameter region;
• and
• a viscoelastic damper comprising a viscoelastic polymer comprising both an element of viscosity and an element of elasticity, and configured to extend from the first end to the second end of the single directional spring and to be situated within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic polymer comprising an absorption property where over 50 percent of vibration energy is absorbed at frequencies from 10 to 30,000 Hz,
• wherein, in response to a load on the spring damper device, the single directional spring operates to compress to absorb the load and any impact shock associated with the load, and the viscoelastic damper operates to dampen vibration associated with the load,
• wherein the viscoelastic damper is sized and configured such that, upon a maximum compression of the single directional spring, the viscoelastic damper is maintained within the inner diameter region of the single directional spring so as to not interfere with the operation of the single directional spring,
• wherein an entirety of the viscoelastic damper is situated between the first and second ends of the single directional spring,
• wherein, during compression of the spring and the viscoelastic damper, the viscoelastic damper operates independently of the spring, such that the spring rate of the single directional spring is substantially unaffected by the viscoelastic damper, and
• wherein the viscoelastic damper comprises a non-uniform outer surface and cross-sectional area along a longitudinal axis when in an uncompressed state, and a substantially uniform outer surface and cross-sectional area along the longitudinal axis when in a compressed state.