Methods and Compositions for Isolating a Payload from Vibration

Abstract

Improved isolation bearings, platforms, and tracks are disclosed for protecting a payload, for example delicate computer equipment such as a hard disk drive, from damage due to vibrations, such as seismic vibrations, as well as weaker vibrations due to HDD, motorized equipment, air conditioning, heating systems, and the like. The isolation platforms and bearings combine a plurality of shapes on their load bearing surfaces to increase stability of the payload even when subjected to vibrations of high velocity or intensity, and preferably have an elastomeric coating on all but a central portion of the load-bearing surfaces of the bearing plates.

1 ) A rolling ball isolation bearing for supporting a payload comprising:
 a) a lower plate comprising a first recess comprising a lower bearing surface and having a substantially central depression, and   b) an upper plate upon which at least a portion of the payload is supported comprising a second recess comprising an upper bearing surface and having a substantially central depression, wherein said first and second recess oppose one another to form a cavity, and   c) a rigid rolling ball located within said cavity, said ball having a diameter wider than the combined depth of said first and second recesses and supporting the upper plate upon the load bearing surface of the lower plate;   
       said rolling ball isolation bearing structured so that if a vibration causes the lower plate to move, the inertia of said payload and upper plate causes said rolling ball to roll upwards from the central depression of the first recess, and wherein a cross-section passing through the center of either or both said first or second recess defines a line along the surface of said recess comprising a combination of shapes selected from the group consisting of:
 i) a straight line and a curve, 
 ii) a first curve and a second curve different from the first curve, and 
 iii) a first straight line and a second straight line having a different slope than said first straight line, and 
 wherein the load bearing surface of at least one said recess is lined with an elastomeric polymer, and wherein a central portion of said bearing is free of said elastromeric polymer. 
 
     
     
         2 ) The isolation bearing of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said first and second recess is at least partially conical in shape. 
     
     
         3 ) The isolation bearing of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said first and second recess is at least partially concave in shape. 
     
     
         4 ) The isolation bearing of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said first and second recess has a shape comprising a combination of conical and concave shapes. 
     
     
         5 ) The isolation bearing of  claim 4  in which the cross-sectional shape of said at least one recess has a central approximately concave curved region and an annular region comprising a flat, sloped surface. 
     
     
         6 ) The isolation bearing of  claim 5  in which the area of the annular region is at least equal to that of a central, approximately concave region. 
     
     
         7 ) The isolation bearing of  claim 5  in which the flat sloped surface has a ratio of vertical rise to horizontal length of approximately 2. 
     
     
         8 ) The isolation bearing of  claim 5  in which the central, concave curved region has a radius of curvature of about 86 inches. 
     
     
         9 ) The isolation bearing of  claim 1  in which the central curved region has a parabolic shape. 
     
     
         10 ) An extendable isolation track comprising at least two linked isolation platforms, each such isolation platform comprising:
 a) a substantially flat, rectangular and generally planar lower pan segment comprising a first side and a second side opposite said first side having at least two upward facing recesses;   b) a substantially flat, rectangular and generally planar upper pan segment comprising a first side and a second side opposite said first side having at least two downward-facing recesses structured to oppose said upward-facing recesses;   wherein said opposing recesses are aligned to define at least two cavities therebetween, each cavity containing at least one rigid ball rollably supporting the upper pan segment upon the lower pan segment;   wherein a cross-section passing through the center of at least one recess defines a line along the surface of said recess comprising a combination of shapes selected from the group consisting of:
 i) a straight line and a curve, 
 ii) a first curve and a second curve different from the first curve, and 
 iii) a first straight line and a second straight line having a different slope than said first straight line, 
 wherein the load bearing surface of at least one said recess is lined with an elastomeric polymer, wherein a central circular portion of said bearing is free of said elastromeric polymer, and wherein each such isolation platform is structured to be linked to at least one additional, substantially identical, isolation platform using a plurality of rigid connecting members linking contiguous upper pan segments and contiguous lower pan segments. 
   
     
     
         11 ) The isolation track of  claim 10  wherein at least two connecting members are laterally disposed along the sides of an isolation bearing. 
     
     
         12 ) The isolation track of  claim 10  wherein at least two connecting members link opposite sides of an isolation platforms. 
     
     
         13 ) The isolation track of  claim 10  comprising at least one isolation platform linked by a plurality of connecting members to at least two additional isolation platforms. 
     
     
         14 ) The isolation track of  claim 10  wherein the cross-sectional shape of said at least one recess has a central, approximately spherically curved region and an annular region comprising a flat, sloped surface. 
     
     
         15 ) The isolation track of  claim 14  in which the area of the annular region is at least equal to that of the central, approximately spherical region. 
     
     
         16 ) The isolation track of  claim 14  in which the flat sloped surface has a ratio of vertical rise to horizontal length of approximately 2. 
     
     
         17 ) The isolation track of  claim 14  in which the central, spherically curved region has a radius of curvature of about 86 inches. 
     
     
         18 ) The isolation track of  claim 10  in which the payload is computer equipment. 
     
     
         19 ) The isolation track of  claim 10  in which a gap between isolation platforms permits access to power or data cables. 
     
     
         20 ) A method of isolating a payload comprising at least one hard disk drive from vibration due to HDD, other motorized equipment, air conditioning and heating systems and similar vibration-causing machinery routinely found in a data center, IT center or power plant, comprising: placing said hard disk drive on a surface supported by a plurality of isolation bearings, each such bearing comprising
 a) a lower plate comprising a first recess comprising a lower bearing surface and having a substantially central depression, and   b) an upper plate upon which at least a portion of the payload is supported comprising a second recess comprising an upper bearing surface and having a substantially central depression, wherein said first and second recess oppose one another to form a cavity, and   c) a rigid rolling ball located within said cavity, said ball having a diameter wider than the combined depth of said first and second recesses and supporting the upper plate upon the load bearing surface of the lower plate;   
       said rolling ball isolation bearing structured so that if a vibration causes the lower plate to move, the inertia of said payload and upper plate causes said rolling ball to roll upwards from the central depression of the first recess, and
 wherein the load bearing surface of at least one said recess is lined with an elastomeric polymer and a central circular portion of said bearing is free of said elastromeric polymer.