US Patent 8142382 Vibration dampening material and method of making same

A material having a stretch axis and adapted to regulate energy by distributing and partially dissipating energy exerted thereon. The material includes a material body elongateable along the stretch axis from a first position to a second position, in which the material body is elongated by a predetermined amount relative to the first position. The material body includes a first elastomer layer defining a material length and a planar support structure disposed within the elastomer layer generally along the stretch axis in an at least partially non linear fashion while the material body is in the first position so that a length of the support structure, as measured along a surface thereof, is greater than the material length of the first elastomer layer.