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How engineers solve things: Cable isolators

By Rain Noe - August 9, 2010

in Object Culture

I found these doodads kind of interesting: They're an engineering solution to the industrial problem of how to securely mount something heavy and vibration-prone, like a generator, to something else in such a way that the former doesn't shake the bejeezus out of the latter and rip free of its moorings.

Called Rope Isolators or Cable Isolators, they come in circular and linear variants and are designed to be corrosion-free, no-maintenance, no-lubricant-required devices.

Admittedly these are more of an engineered object than a designed object, but I'm digging their industrial-octopus aesthetic and am posting them here in the hopes one of you will incorporate them into some type of furniture design.

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scorpster

14 years ago

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We used these in our unmanned vehicle for the DARPA Grand Challenge to protect the computing equipment from the road bumps. It worked so good I'm thinking of using these wire rope isolators for my roof mount air conditioner condenser.
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iptydafu

14 years ago

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these have been used in some washing-machines. two disks with five-spoke lateral connections of steel-belted rubber, attaching the motor to the agitator. the first time i saw one, i realized how ingenious a solution it is.
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Adam Sturm

14 years ago

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This is a very cool design and engineering concept. I've never seen this before, but it makes a great deal of sense. I would love to see it incorporated into some furniture. I'd sit in a chair designed like this.
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dave cochrane

14 years ago

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these are used extensively in military vessels to reduce noise transmission through hulls and materials - it would be good to see their inclusion being standardised and legally mandated in washing machines, dryers, and anything else in the home that transmits lots of energy through floors.
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Shalin

14 years ago

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These do work very well to isolate vibration. If you want to super-size them for furniture - hmmm...that could get pretty expensive depending on your load.

There also seems to be an aesthetic relationship between child/toddler playground equipment, these isolators, and furniture.

Have fun! :)

--Shalin (a creative engineer)
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ken j

14 years ago

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These are very common in naval heavy equipment applications.
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