Tubular elastomer damper

A tubular elastomer damper consisting essentially of:

• a central shaft with means for attaching to a first structure, an outer housing surrounding a portion of the central shaft and having means for attaching to a second structure, an elastomer member disposed therebetween and having a first elastomer layer bonded to the central shaft and being composed of a material having a relatively high modulus of elasticity, high strain and lower damping ability, a second elastomer layer bonded to the housing, being composed of a material having a lower modulus of elasticity, lower strain and high damping ability, and an intermediate elastomer layer disposed between and bonded to the first and second elastomer layers, the intermediate elastomer layer being composed of a material having moderate strain and moderate damping ability wherein uniform strain is provided from an inner to an outer radius of the elastomer member to minimize localized heating and loss of damping properties, each of the first, second and intermediate elastomer layers being composed of a plurality of laminate plys, each layer's plys having the same modulus of elasticity.

A tubular elastomer damper comprising:

• a central shaft with means for attaching to a first structure, an outer housing surrounding a portion of the central shaft and having means for attaching to a second structure, an elastomer member disposed therebetween and having a first elastomer layer bonded to the central shaft and having high strain and lower damping ability, a second elastomer layer bonded to the housing, having lower strain and high damping ability, and an intermediate elastomer layer disposed between and bonded to the first and second elastomer layers, the intermediate elastomer layer having moderate strain and moderate damping ability wherein uniform strain is provided from an inner to an outer radius of the elastomer member to minimize localized heating and loss of damping properties, cylindrical metal shims incorporated between the elastomer layers to provide resistance to bending moments, a plurality of axial passages being provided within the elastomer member to allow cooling air to flow through the elastomer member, the metal shims extending through the passages to conduct heat out of the elastomer member.