Abstract:
A vibration dampener including an elastomeric body having a top and bottom surface and a vibration transfer plate provided on the top surface of the elastomeric body. The bottom surface of the elastomeric body can be provided with a mounting base and is for being mounted to an object to be vibration controlled.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates a vibration damper which attaches to a surface of an object to dissipate the noise and vibration generated in an object. 
     2. Prior Art 
     There are several devices in the prior art designed to help to eliminate vibration and noise in an object. Such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,273,022; 5,362,046; 5,615,664; 5,570,730; 5,584,282; 6,085,736; 6,298,842; and 6,382,201 and U.S. Design Pat. D436,643; D445,161; and D469,839. 
     The devices in the above listed patents and designs all contain a weight, a mushroom shaped head or an internal wiggling, dampening or metallic spacer to separate the vibrating body apart from the member that the vibration is transferred to. As a result, these devices all stick out from the body that is vibrating and generally have an unaesthetic appearance. Still further, such devices do not conform to the general shape of the object which is vibrating and are of an appropriate length or depth to cause an unobjectionable protruding from the object. In addition, such vibrating devices typically only transfer the vibration from a single point or area which is relatively small in size. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vibration and noise dampener which does not protrude objectionably from the object which is vibrating, can be formed in an aesthetic shape and can be formed to fit the general shape of the object which is vibrating. 
     The above objects of the present invention are accomplished by an unique vibration noise dampener including an elastomer body having a top and a bottom surface, a vibration transfer plate provided on the top surface of the elastomer body, a mounting base provided on the bottom surface of the elastomer body and a means for coupling the vibration dampener to the object which vibrates. In some constructions, the mounting base can be eliminated and the bottom surface of the elastomer body may be applied and directly coupled to the object which vibrates utilizing a means such as an adhesive, double-sided tape, etc. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned features and objects of the present invention, as well as other features and objections of the present invention, will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an archery bow with a vibration dampener of the present invention attached thereto; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged portion of  FIG. 1  illustrating the attachment of the dampening member of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a sixth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a seventh embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates the attachment of the present invention to an object which does not present a flat surface; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a mounting for the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates the present invention applied to a bow stabilizer; and 
         FIG. 13  is a second illustration of the utilization of the present invention on a bow stabilizer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , shown in  FIG. 1  is a bow  4  with a vibration dampener  2  of the present invention which is shown in  FIG. 3  attached to a limb  6  of the bow  4 .  FIG. 2  is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the  FIG. 1  illustrating the vibration dampener  2  attached to the limb  6 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the vibration dampener  2  comprises an elastomeric body  8  with a plate  10  provided on one surface thereof and a mounting base  12  provided on the other surface thereof. The mounting base  12  is further provided with a means  14  for mounting the vibration dampener  2  to the limb  6  of the bow  4 . This mounting means  14  can comprise an adhesive or double-sided tape. In some instances and for some applications, the base  12  may be eliminated completely and one surface of the elastomeric body  8  may be directly connected to the limb  6  by mounting means  14 . It should be apparent that in this instance, since limbs are relatively flat, the vibration dampener  2  presents a flat shape so as to conform to the limb  6 . Also, it should be apparent that the vibration dampener  2  does not project far from the surface of the limb and therefore provides a pleasing appearance. 
     In use, when an arrow is launched from the bow  4 , vibration is generated in the bow  4  and particularly transmitted through the limbs  6  and absorbed by the elastomeric body  8  and the movement of the plate  10 . The mass of the plate  10  and the softness or flexibility of the elastomeric body can be adjusted or set so that the vibration dampener  2  absorbs the vibration generated by the body to which it is applied in the most efficient manner. Typically, the plate  10  will have substantial specific gravity and they will be made from materials such as metals, rubber or plastics impregnated with heavy materials such as metal filings, etc. Still further, the flexibility or softness of the elastomeric body  8  is typically in the range of 5 to upwards of 30 Duro meters and can be made from materials such as rubber, sponge, synthetic rubbers, other known energy absorbing materials, etc. Still further, in some applications, the elastomeric body  8  might be made from two or more different materials laminated one on top of the other and/or one next to the other and the plate  10  could be made from two or more dissimilar materials bonded together. 
     While the vibration dampener  2  of  FIG. 3  is shown utilizing an elastomeric body  8  which is solid, it would be also possible to make the vibration dampener with other configurations. The other configurations are shown in  FIGS. 4-9 . In  FIG. 4 , the vibration dampener  2   a  includes an elastomeric body  8   a  which includes upwardly extending fingers  16  with spaces in between so as to allow the plate  10  to vibrate more freely in use. 
     In  FIG. 5  is shown a vibration dampener  2   b  wherein the elastomeric body  8   b  comprises a combed body section which can be either made by providing a plurality of small teeth or by providing a plurality of slits through the elastomeric body  2   b . Such a construction allows the vibration dampener  2   b  to respond to higher frequency vibrations. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , shown therein is another vibration dampener  2   c  wherein a large hollow air space  18  is provided within the elastomeric body  8   c . Such a construction allows the plate  10  to ride on an air cushion. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , shown therein is a vibration dampener  2   d  wherein the elastomeric body  8   d  is provided with a honeycombed structure in order to allow for compression of heavier plates  10 . Such a structure would be suitable for absorbing low frequency vibrations. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , shown there is a vibration dampener  2   e  wherein the elastomeric body  8   e  is provided with cross membered portions. Such a construction shown in  FIG. 8  allows for the support of the still heavier vibration plates. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , shown therein is a vibration dampener  2   f  which is similar to that of the vibration dampener  2   a  of  FIG. 4 . However, in this construction, the plate  10   f  is provided shorter in length than the elastomeric body  8   f  and portions of the elastomeric body cover all of the edges of the plate  10   f . With this construction of  FIG. 9 , the plate  10   f  is recessed into the elastomeric body  8   f  and the elastomeric body  8   f  protects the side of the plate  10   f  and isolates it from contact with other objects. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , shown therein is a vibration dampener  2   g  wherein the plate  10  and elastomeric body  8  are of any shape construction shown in the  FIGS. 3-9 . However, in this construction, in order to mount the vibration dampener  2   g  to an irregularly shaped body  20 , the mounting base  12   g  is formed so that it can conform to the shape of the irregularly shaped body  20 . However, it would be possible to make the vibration dampener  2   g  in such a way that all of the components thereof conform to the shape of the irregularly shaped body  20 . In other words, the plate  10 , elastomeric body  8  and mounting base  12   g  could all be curved or formed so as to be mountable and mounted to conform to the surface of the irregularly shaped body  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , shown therein is another means for mounting the vibration dampener  2  to a body  22 . In this constructions, screws are utilized and inserted through holes in the vibration dampener  2  and screwed into the body  22 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , shown therein are the vibration dampener  2  of the present invention applied to a stabilizer  24  which could be utilized together with a bow such as bow  4  of  FIG. 1 . The stabilizer  24  includes a threaded portion  26  which screws into a corresponding portion of the bow  4 . In this construction, one or two or more vibration dampeners  2  could be applied to the stabilizer  24 . 
     While the vibration dampener of the present invention has been described in terms of utilization with a bow, it could be utilized with other devices and provided on both inside and outside surfaces thereof. Such other devices would include firearms, other sporting goods, automotive products, musical instruments, industrial machines, etc. 
     It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above described embodiments are merely illustrative of but a few of the many possible embodiments of the present invention which could be created by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.