Automated decoupling shock isolation for vibration couplers

Abstract

A shock isolator is arranged between two automated coupler parts in a vibration testing unit. When the coupler parts are engaged and coupled during vibration testing of a component, the shock isolator is disabled, and when the coupler parts are disengaged and decoupled after vibration testing, the shock isolator is activated to absorb excess shock energy and prevent shock transfer between the coupler parts that would damage the test component. The shock isolator includes a bushing that is inserted in a lower part of the two automated coupler parts and a compressive fit rod that is press-fit into the bushing. The bushing has a chamfered volume and the compressive fit rod has a corresponding compressible volume that is displaced into the chamfered volume to disable the shock isolator. After vibration testing, the compressive fit rod is expandable to a regular shape to activate the shock isolator.

1 . A shock isolator arranged between automated coupler parts in a vibration testing unit, the shock isolator comprising:
 a bushing; and   a compressive fit rod supported in the bushing, the compressive fit rod being compressible inside the bushing to disable the shock isolator when the automated coupler parts are engaged during vibration testing, the compressive fit rod being expandable outwardly from the bushing to activate the shock isolator and absorb excess shock energy when the automated coupler parts are disengaged.   
     
     
         2 . The shock isolator according to  claim 1 , wherein the bushing defines a chamfered volume and the compressive fit rod has a compressible volume that is equivalent to the chamfered volume, wherein the chamfered volume is filled by the compressive fit rod when the compressive fit rod is deformed during compression. 
     
     
         3 . The shock isolator according to  claim 2 , wherein the chamfered volume is defined by a tapered surface that tapers radially inwardly from a radial mating surface of the bushing. 
     
     
         4 . The shock isolator according to  claim 3 , wherein the radial mating surface is an upper surface of the bushing that engages an upper coupler part of the automated coupler parts. 
     
     
         5 . The shock isolator according to  claim 3 , wherein the tapered surface extends an axial distance that is less than half of an entire axial length of the bushing. 
     
     
         6 . The shock isolator according to  claim 3 , wherein the tapered surface is angled by between ten and 20 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the shock isolator. 
     
     
         7 . The shock isolator according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressive fit rod has a compressible volume that is deformed during compression and has an axial length that is ten percent or less of a total axial length of the compressive fit rod. 
     
     
         8 . The shock isolator according to  claim 7 , wherein the compressible volume is an uppermost portion of the compressive fit rod. 
     
     
         9 . The shock isolator according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressive fit rod is press-fit into the bushing. 
     
     
         10 . The shock isolator according to  claim 9 , wherein the compressive fit rod has a compressive fit with the bushing that is ten percent or less 
     
     
         11 . The shock isolator according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressive fit rod defines an axially-extending through-aperture. 
     
     
         12 . The shock isolator according to  claim 1 , wherein the bushing defines a radial seat against which an axial end of the compressive fit rod is supported. 
     
     
         13 . The shock isolator according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressive fit rod is formed of an elastomeric material having a durometer between 40 and 70. 
     
     
         14 . The shock isolator according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressive fit rod is formed of a urethane material. 
     
     
         15 . The shock isolator according to  claim 1 , wherein the bushing is formed of a thermoplastic polymer material. 
     
     
         16 . The shock isolator according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper portion of the compressive fit rod is compressed inside an upper portion of the bushing when in a compressed position, and wherein the upper portion expands upwardly and outside of the bushing to an expanded position which corresponds to a normal shape of the compressive fit rod. 
     
     
         17 . A vibration testing unit comprising:
 an automated coupler having an upper coupler part and a lower coupler part that are engaged during vibration testing and disengaged after the vibration testing; and   a plurality of shock isolators arranged in the lower coupler part between the upper coupler part and the lower coupler part, each of the plurality of shock isolators including a bushing and a compressive fit rod supported in the bushing, the compressive fit rod being compressible to a compressed position in which the compressive fit rod is compressed inside the bushing to disable the plurality of shock isolators when the upper coupler part and the lower coupler part are engaged during vibration testing, the compressive fit rod being expandable to an expanded position in which the compressive fit rod expands outwardly from the bushing to activate the plurality of shock isolators and absorb excess shock energy when the upper coupler part and the lower coupler part are disengaged.   
     
     
         18 . A method of vibration testing, the method comprising:
 press-fitting a compressive fit rod into a bushing to form a shock isolator;   inserting one or more shock isolators into a lower coupler part of two automated coupler parts between the lower coupler part and an upper coupler part of the two automated coupler parts;   engaging the two automated coupler parts during vibration testing and disengaging the two automated coupler parts after the vibration testing;   compressing an upper portion of the compressive fit rod inside the bushing to disable the one or more shock isolators during the vibration testing; and   expanding the upper portion of the compressive fit rod upwardly from and outside the bushing to activate the one or more shock isolators and absorb excess shock energy when the two automated coupler parts are disengaged.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein compressing the upper portion of the compressive fit rod includes filling a chamfered volume formed in an upper portion of the bushing and expanding the upper portion of the compressive fit rod includes removing the compressive fit rod from the chamfered volume. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein compressing the upper portion of the compressive fit rod includes compressing a compressible volume of the compressive fit rod that has an axial length of the compressive fit rod that is ten percent or less of a total axial length of the compressive fit rod.