Patent ID: 7171697

Claim:
A panel that regulates and dissipates vibration, the panel comprising: a panel body having a major material surface and an outer perimeter, the panel body being formed by a vibration dissipating material, the vibration dissipating material comprising: first and second elastomer layers; and a reinforcement layer disposed between and generally separating the first and second elastomer layers, the reinforcement layer being generally coextensive with the panel body, the reinforcement layer comprising a plurality of high tensile strength fibrous material, the high tensile strength fibrous material being connected to the first and second elastomer layers generally uniformly throughout to provide substantially complete coverage between the first and second elastomer layers, the high tensile strength fibrous material being generally compliant only in a direction generally perpendicular to the major material surface so as to be generally non energy storing in the direction, the high tensile strength fibrous material is generally interlocked in and generally held in position by the first and second elastomer layers, wherein the high tensile strength fibrous material generally distributes impact energy parallel to the major material surface and into the first and second elastomer layers, the high tensile strength fibrous material of the reinforcement layer substantially prevents elongation of the panel in a second direction parallel to the major material surface of the panel during use.