# US 2018/0022298 A1 · Acoustical absorber having a body and at least one serrated washer

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- Number: US 2018/0022298 A1
- Document ID: US20180022298A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/217,545
- Filed: 2016-07-22
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Bryn Arthur Davies; Raghu Puttaiah
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022298A1

## CPC

- B60R 13/0838: {for engine compartments}
- B60R 13/08: Insulating elements, e.g. for sound insulation {(sound insulating linings for trains B61D17/185; drivers' cabs for load-carrying vehicles insulated against vibrations or noise B62D33/0604; thermal or acoustic insulation of engines F02B77/11; damping of sounds using compensation by electro-acoustic methods G10K11/178)}
- F16B 39/24: by means of washers, spring washers, or resilient plates that lock against the object (locking to the screw-thread F16B39/14 {, F16B39/34}, F16B39/36)
- F16F 7/00: Vibration-dampers; Shock-absorbers (using fluid F16F5/00, F16F9/00; specific for rotary systems F16F15/10 {; belt tensioners F16H7/12})
- G10K 11/162: Selection of materials
- B60G 2600/44: Vibration noise suppression
- B60R 2013/0807: {Arrangements of fasteners or clips specially adapted therefore}
- F16F 7/124: {characterised by their special construction from fibre-reinforced plastics}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00})

## Abstract

An acoustical absorber, which may take the form of a shock tower insulator, includes a body made from a sound insulating material and one or more serrated washers fixed to the body. The washers function to retain the body to mounting studs without the need for using a separate fastener.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An acoustical absorber, comprising:
a body made from a sound insulating material; and
a first serrated washer fixed directly to said body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The acoustical absorber of claim 1, wherein said first serrated washer is made from a composite material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The acoustical absorber of claim 2, wherein said body has a first material density D1 and said first serrated washer has a second material density D2 where D1<D2.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The acoustical absorber of claim 3, wherein said first serrated washer is annular in shape.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The acoustical absorber of claim 4, wherein said first serrated washer includes an inner margin having a plurality of spaced slits defining a plurality of spaced teeth encompassing a central aperture.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The acoustical absorber of claim 5, wherein said first serrated washer includes four spaced slits defining four resilient teeth.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The acoustical absorber of claim 6, wherein each resilient tooth of said four resilient teeth defines an equal arc of said central aperture.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The acoustical absorber of claim 7, further including a second serrated washer fixed to said body.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The acoustical absorber of claim 8, wherein said body includes (a) a first mounting aperture aligned with said central aperture of said first serrated washer and (b) a second mounting aperture aligned with a second central aperture in said second serrated washer.

### Claim 10

A shock tower insulator, comprising:
a body made from a sound insulating material, said body including a first mounting aperture; and
a first serrated washer fixed to said body around an entrance to said first mounting aperture, wherein said first serrated washer is made from a composite material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The shock tower insulator of claim 10, further including a second serrated washer fixed to said body around a second entrance to a second mounting aperture in said body.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The shock tower insulator of claim 11, wherein said second serrated washer is made from a composite material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The shock tower insulator of claim 12, wherein said body has a first material density D1 and said first serrated washer and said second serrated washer both have a second material density D2 where D1<D2.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The shock tower insulator of claim 13, wherein said first serrated washer and said second serrated washer are both annular in shape.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The shock tower insulator of claim 14, wherein (a) said first serrated washer includes a first inner margin having a first plurality of spaced teeth encompassing a first central aperture and (b) said second serrated washer includes a second inner margin having a second plurality of spaced teeth encompassing a second central aperture.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The shock tower insulator of claim 15, wherein first central aperture is aligned with said first mounting aperture and said second central aperture is aligned with said second mounting aperture.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The shock tower insulator of claim 16, wherein said body, said first serrated washer and said second serrated washer are all made from a polyester fiber material.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The shock tower insulator of claim 17, wherein said first serrated washer and said second serrated washer retain said body to a first mounting stud and a second mounting stud with a combined retention force of at least 44 Newtons.

### Claim 19

A serrated washer, comprising:
a washer body made from a compressed composite material having a central aperture defined by a serrated margin.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The serrated washer of claim 19, wherein said serrated margin includes a plurality of slits defining a plurality of resilient teeth encompassing said central aperture.