Elastomeric compression preloaded support insulators

#The invention disclosed and claimed herein deals with compression preloaded, channel located support insulator for automotive drive shafts.

#In the automobiles manufactured today, there is put in place, a laminated, vulcanized vibration dampening device that is attached around the automobile drive shaft at the forward end. The device not only provided for vibration dampening, but also is supposed to protect the bearings located on the drive shaft at this point from water, rust and dirt.

#The device is manufactured such that it is separated from the drive shaft bearings by air, in that the covering encircles the drive shaft, and is attached to a large metal ring that also encircles the drive shaft. The area encompassed by this arrangement essentially is filled with air which means that the drive shaft can operate on the bearings and at the same time move in any upward and downward direction to provide some absorbency from shocks taken by the automobile.

#FIG. 1 is a full side view of a cross section of a prior art drive shaft support system for an automotive drive shaft.

#FIG. 2 is a full front view of a device of this invention.

#FIG. 3 is a full end view cross section of a device of this invention taken through line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

#Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a prior art drive shaft support system for an automotive drive shaft in which there is shown the drive shaft 1, the drive shaft bearing 2, the support brace 3, the bolt in the support brace 3, the rubber gasket 4 that is glued to the bearing at 5 and glued to the brace 3 at 6.

#FIG. 4 shows a device of this invention wherein there is shown the drive shaft 1 which forms no part of the invention, the drive shaft bearing 2 which forms no part of the invention, and the device of this invention 7.

#The devices 7 of this are manufactured from elastomeric materials to build in flexibility to help with shock absorbency of the device 7. Typically, in order to build in toughness so that the device 7 has durability, it is manufactured from polyurethanes, said polyurethanes being known in the art and especially known by those in automotive parts development and manufacture.