The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 1993
Filed:
Dec. 01, 1992
Sumitomo Gomu Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Hyogo, JP;
Sumitomo Kensetsu Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention relates to an earthquake-proofing device wherein a superstructure is placed and supported for horizontal movement on a foundation structure so as to increase the natural vibration period of the superstructure, thereby protecting the superstructure against earthquake energy and traffic vibration. More particularly, the outer periphery of an elastic body, visco-elastic body or viscous body which hardly exhibits rigidity by itself is surrounded by a restrainer which restrains it from bulging outward, thereby enabling the body to develop high vertical rigidity while allowing it to retain horizontal deformability, the body being used as a load carrier. The restrainer and/or load carrier absorbs vibration energy by frictional damping action. According to this construction, besides the above-described basic performance essential to earthquake-proofing devices, there are the following advantages: (1) The points of action of the restoring force and damping force coincide with each other, so that the structure is protected against unnecessary torsional vibration; (2) the range of selection of materials for the load carrier is wide, so that characteristics can be designed in a wide range as desired; and (3). The initial shear rigidity at the start of vibration is so low that the structure can also be protected against slight vibration.