Structural bearing using fully housed partially confined elastomer

Abstract

A high load structural bearing primarily comprising a high strength elastomer and a housing with top closure plate. The housing is composed of sidewalls and is attached to a bottom base plate. The elastomeric pad has its top edge chamfered to produce a void that allows the pad to expand while being compressed without being squeezed into the gap between the sidewalls and the closure plate. The high load elastomer and surrounding housing are designed such that the elastomer is loaded in two phases in a controlled, predictable fashion. In the first phase the elastomer expands unrestrained on its lateral sides until it makes contact with the sidewalls. In the second phase the elastomer vertical compression increases and subsequently tensile stresses existing at the end of the first phase are mitigated to a predetermined level via lateral confinement from the housing sidewalls.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.