Vibration isolator using externally pressurized sealing bellows and an external shaft

An apparatus is provided for vibration damping and isolation. The apparatus includes a housing having an inner surface defining a passage therethrough, a first bellows disposed within the housing passage, the first bellows having an outer surface and spaced apart from the housing inner surface to define a first chamber having a volume, and a second bellows disposed within the housing passage, the second bellows having an outer surface and spaced apart from the housing inner surface to define a second chamber having a volume. The apparatus further includes a restrictive flow passage in fluid communication with the first and second chambers, fluid disposed within the first chamber, the second chamber, and the restrictive flow passage, and a shaft positioned externally to the housing and coupled with the first bellows and the second bellows. The shaft is configured to selectively receive a force to thereby move the fluid through the restrictive flow passage to increase the first chamber volume and decrease the second chamber volume or to decrease the first chamber volume and increase the second chamber volume.