Patent ID: 7721844

Claim:
A vibration damping system, comprising: a window structure that comprises two separate layers of material that both exhibit areas that are substantially clear at visible optical wavelengths for humans, said two separate layers being spaced-apart from one another by a first distance in an arrangement by which at least portions of said two separate layers are substantially parallel to one another, thereby forming a gap between said two separate layers of material of said window structure; wherein said gap is substantially filled with a gaseous material at a first area between said two separate layers which provides air-film vibration damping, and is substantially filled with a viscoelastic material at a second area between said two separate layers which provides vibration damping, said viscoelastic material having optical properties such that it is not necessarily substantially clear at visible optical wavelengths for humans, and said first distance dimension of said gap is a maximum of 0.050 inches (1.27 mm) to facilitate said air-film vibration damping.