Patent ID: 9587702
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: F16F

Claim:
1. A damping system, comprising: a cylindrical housing having an inner surface defining a passage therethrough, the cylindrical housing having a proximal and distal end of the cylinder, the housing passage having a first end and a second end, and a restrictive flow passage that has a smaller diameter than a diameter of either the first end or the second end; a first bellows disposed within the first end of the housing passage, the first bellows having an outer surface and spaced apart from the housing inner surface at the first end of the housing passage to define a first chamber having a volume, the first bellows being connected with a first piston and a first damper shaft; a second bellows disposed within the housing passage, the second bellows having an outer surface and spaced apart from the housing inner surface at the second end of the housing passage to define a second chamber having a volume, the second chamber being spaced apart from the first chamber by the restrictive flow passage, the second bellows being connected with a second piston and a second damper shaft; the restrictive flow passage in fluid communication with the first and second chambers, the restrictive flow passage defining a longitudinal axis of the damping system about which both the first and second bellows are also disposed, and comprising a central portion of the housing passage between the first chamber and the second chamber; fluid disposed within the first chamber, the second chamber, and the restrictive flow passage; an external shaft positioned radially from the longitudinal axis externally to the housing and at a greater radius with respect to the housing from the longitudinal axis, and coupled with the first bellows via the first damper shaft and a first connection member longitudinally spaced apart from the proximal end and connected to the first damper shaft and the second bellows via the second damper shaft and a second connection member longitudinally spaced apart from the distal end and connected to the second damper shaft, wherein the external shaft moves slidingly with respect to the housing while coupled with the first and second bellows as the first and second bellows move longitudinally, the shaft configured to selectively receive a longitudinal force to thereby move the fluid through the restrictive flow passage to increase the first chamber volume and decrease the second chamber volume or to decrease the first chamber volume and increase the second chamber volume, wherein the external damper shaft is connected to each of the first and second connection members, and wherein the second connection member comprises a (i) central portion aligned with the longitudinal axis, (ii) a plurality of spokes extending radially from the central portion, each spoke being connected to the external shaft at said greater radius, and (iii) a plurality of spaces separating each spoke of the plurality of spokes from one another; a first support located adjacent to the proximal end of the cylindrical housing and connected to the shaft such that vibration is translated between the first support and the shaft; and a second support connected distally to the distal end of the cylindrical housing such that vibration is translated between the second support and the cylindrical housing, wherein the second support is characterized as having (i) a central hub that is aligned with the longitudinal axis and spaced apart longitudinally from the cylindrical housing, (ii) a plurality of extension arms that extend both radially and longitudinally from the central hub and towards the distal end, each extension arm being coupled with the cylindrical housing at a different point along a perimeter of the distal end, and (iii) a plurality of spaces separating each extension arm of the plurality of extension arms from one another, wherein the plurality of spaces of the second connection member and the plurality of spaces of the second support are rotationally offset from one another with respect to the longitudinal axis such that upon sliding motion of the external shaft, the extension arms are able to pass through the plurality of spaces of the second support and the spokes are able to pass through the plurality of spaces of the second connection member.