"ANTI-VIBRATION, SHOCK ABSORBER AND

SOUND-PROOFING ELEMENT"

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Field of the Invention

This invention concerns a multifunction element, made using either a plastic or elastomer material, suitable and applicable in all sectors, from domestic to civil and industrial where stability at least between two parts is required, otherwise susceptible to relative movements, either because they are resting one against the other or joined together by overlapping. State of the technique

When in order to be used, two parts must be in reference to each other either by resting against or by being one on top of the other, often they do not match perfectly either due to a defect in shape or dimensional and play tolerances during assembly. They are consequently susceptible to oscillation or tilting movements that can cause vibrations and noise, especially when the parts are metal or however made of a rigid material. Objectives and summary of the Invention

One objective of this invention is to resolve this problem efficiently and in fact proposes a plastic amortizing element which, placed between the surfaces of the parts which must be put one on the other, is able to compensate every matching and assembly defect they may have, thus avoiding any defective movement and, consequently, guaranteeing their stability and soundproofing.

Another objective of the invention is to supply a useful and low cost

amortizing element that can be achieved in different flat and three

dimensional shapes and with a maximum degree of adaptability for its really easy and universal use with a wide range of components in innumerable

different sectors.

These objectives and implicit advantages deriving from them are

achieved by a multi-function element according to at least claim 1 in the

appendix.

The shape of every amortizing element will be selected each time depending on the profiles of the parts to be joined together so that they can be fitted and adjusted better to the contact surfaces of these parts so as to form elastic tension which .ensures their stability and enables the noise due to tilting to be dampened.

Two fundamental types of amortizing elements can be envisaged: simply by contact only between overlapping flat surfaces; by contact between base and lateral orthogonal surfaces, for parts to be inserted or fitted one into the other.

Furthermore each amortizing element can also be prepared to be joined modularly with other elements for maximum compatibility with all

contact surfaces.

Brief description of the Drawings

The attached drawings show purely indicative examples of practical

forms of this invention and that will be described in greater detail below. In

said drawings: Fig. 1 shows a flat element that can however be configured in

different ways;

Fig. 2 shows a fundamentally L shaped element with a vertical wall corrugated parallel to the horizontal base wall;

Fig. 3 shows a similar element to the one in Fig. 2, but with angle inserts between the horizontal and vertical walls;

Fig. 4 shows another L shaped element, but with a vertical wall corrugated at right angles to the horizontal base wall;

Figs. 5 and 5a show two different views of a similar element to the one in Fig. 4, but with protrusions on the horizontal base wall; Fig. 6 shows a similar element to the one in Fig. 4, but with the vertical wall provided with cutting traces;

Fig. 7 shows a three-dimensional element with a fundamentally triangular configuration;

Figs. 8 and 8a show two different views of another three-dimensional element:

Figs. 9 and 9a show two different views of a three-dimensional element achieved by starting from a flat element as shown in Fig. 9b;

Fig. 10 shows a three-dimensional element made up of several rest sections connected by flexible stems; Fig. 11 shows a quadrilateral element made up of a sequence of joined L shaped elements;

Fig. 12 shows a circular element, also made up of a sequence of joined L shaped elements;

Figs. 13 and 14 show two ways of modularly joining elements in line or in an arch shape;

Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 show amortizing elements with further configurations; and

Figs. 20 and 21 show other examples of amortizing elements with a connecting tang. Detailed description of the Invention

As shown in Fig. 1 , an amortizing element 21 according to the invention can have a flat body with an external shape and dimensions and a thickness that can be selected according to requirements. Said element can be equipped with a central opening 22 and possibly with a series of folding and/or cutting traces 23 to adapt it to complex surfaces including covering of edges.

Also according to the invention an amortizing element can be formed by a body with a basically L shape having a horizontal supporting wall and a vertical part that can both be basically flat. But in particular, element 24 in Fig. 2, has a horizontal flat wall 25, whereas the vertical wall 26 is corrugated in parallel to the horizontal wall. Element 27 in Fig. 3 is analogous to element 24 with the addition of inserts or corner ribs 28 between the horizontal and vertical walls, inserts which moreover can be provided in each of the other forms in which the element has an L shape. Element 29 in Fig. 4 has also an L shape with a flat horizontal supporting wall 30, but with a vertical wall 31 corrugated perpendicularly to the supporting wall. The supporting wall 30, the same applies to other possibilities, can be equipped with protrusions 32 as shown in Figs. 5 and 5a, and/or the vertical wall can be provided with cutting trace marks 33 so as to be able to remove portions and adjust the height according to requirements.

From one point of view, the corner inserts 28 and/or the protrusions 32 on the horizontal wall of every amortizing element help to compensate the play on the supporting plane of the joined parts, improving in this way its horizontal stability. On the other hand the corrugations, both horizontal and vertical, are provided to give each amortizing element a "spring" effect that helps to compensate lateral play and transversal blocking of the joined parts where each element is inserted between the contact surfaces.

When in the three-dimensional functioning form, an amortizing element 34 can have a basically triangular configuration such as is shown in Fig. 7, forming a base and supporting plane plus a recess with a possible bottom opening 35 so as to be able to receive right angles or angles which are almost 90°, formed by three orthogonal surfaces convergent on one side to join with another.

In the same way, an amortizing element 36 can have the same configuration as shown in Figs. 8 and 8a, resulting from the combination of two elements 37, basically L shaped, positioned at an angle and joined by a top 38 and bottom 39 batten opportunely flexible and made to adapt to the corners of the parts to connect up to.

Element 40 shown in Fig. 9 is also suitable for connecting at different angles that may be found between the sides of the parts to connect up to, for example polygonal shapes. This element can be achieved, in a simplified way from a stamping point of view, starting from a basically flat section 41 as shown in Fig. 9b, bent at an angle, both horizontally, and vertically, and stabilized in the configuration required by means of a connection inserted and connected, for example, to lugs 43 at the base of the starting element as

shown in Fig. 9a.

An amortizing element 44, always in conformity with a three- dimensional shape, can comprise a number of sections 45 connected by flexible rods 46 as shown in Fig. 10, where said sections are positioned to form a horizontal flat base and a lateral-vertical supporting base, and where a top rod 46' can be provided to keep element 44 in its correct shape until it is placed in position and to enable it to be removed by the operator if necessary.

Figs. 11 and 12 show respectively, a quadrilateral amortizing element 47 and a circular amortizing element 48, both made up of a series of basically L shaped elements 49, which can be the type described beforehand, interconnected by bands 50. For example, the L shaped elements 49 can be the type shown in any of Figs. 2 to 6 and the connecting bands 50 can be flexible in order to enable application and adaptability of each quadrilateral or circular amortizing element to the profile of quadrilateral or circular parts even if different in size.

Curved or linear shaped composite amortizing elements 51 and 52, such as those shown in Figs 13 and 14 can also be made by joining side by side, consecutive and modular several identical elements, for example L shaped, provided with complementary means 53, 54 to connect them using fixed joints to vertical walls -Fig. 13 - or to horizontal walls -Fig. 14.

And once more, the amortizing element 55 in Fig. 15 is basically L shaped, but with a step 56 between a flat horizontal section and a corrugated vertical section 58. The amortizing element 59 in Fig. 16 has a forked horizontal part 60

and a vertical corrugated part 61.

The amortizing element 62 in Fig. 17 has an asymmetric U shaped body 63 forming a channel 63, whereas element 64 in Fig. 18 has a basically U shaped body forming a channel 65 and having a shelf-shaped protrusion 66 on one front side.

The amortizing element 67 in Fig. 18 has a base with two divergent sides 68 starting from a linear connecting section 69 and with two corrugated shoulders 70 that rise up from the divergent sides.

In addition, each of the elements described above can be provided with a thin strip or tongue 71 - Figs. 16, 17-21 - acting as a means for gripping to facilitate handling and positioning the elements for use also having a safety implication, given the fact that it avoids the risk of damage to the operator's fingers. It can be inserted and fixed to the element or an integral part of the latter and have a reduced thickness and/or a tear away section to be removed after the element has been placed in position.

Whatever the configuration, the amortizing elements according to the invention can be made out of any suitable plastic material, including, elastomer, thermoplastics, thermosetting compositions, foamed polymers, silicone in paste or liquid form, with a possible lining and/or overmoulding with inserts or metal net. They can also be provided with an open or closed cell or honeycomb spongy structure. In addition they can be provided with adhesive or dual adhesive bands to facilitate application, in the same way as they may have different colouring in order to visibly recognise the correct destination.