Fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount having a protective member

Abstract

A fluid-filled cylindrical elastic mount including an inner and an outer sleeve disposed in radially spaced-apart relation with each other and attached to one and the other of a load member and a support structure, an elastic body interposed between the inner and outer sleeves for elastically connecting these sleeves and having a pressure-receiving chamber, and a closure member cooperating with the outer sleeve to define a equilibrium chamber within a void formed between the inner and outer sleeves so as to extend in the axial direction of the sleeves. The pressure-receiving and equilibrium chambers are filled with a non-compressible fluid and communicate with each other through a restricted passage. A protective member fixedly provided on the inner sleeve for movement with the inner sleeve is inserted through the void so as to elastically deform the closure member toward the outer sleeve before the elastic mount is attached to the load member. The protective member and the closure member are dimensioned and shaped so as to define therebetween a suitable amount of gap for permitting the closure member to be displaced so as to change the volume of the equilibrium chamber, after the elastic mount is attached to the load member.