On the Characteristic of a Small-Scale Isolation Mechanism With Three-Dimensional Quasi-Zero Stiffness

To provide an excellent operation environment for micro-precise instruments in a narrow space with strict restrictions on weight, this study proposes a small-scale vibration isolation system with six-dimensional quasi-zero stiffness (QZS), consisting of at least three non-collinear fulcrums with three-dimensional QZS. The response characteristics of the QZS fulcrum, including the transfer rates, its stability, and convergence speed, are investigated by both quantitative calculations and simulations conducted using Simulink. A prototype is designed and manufactured and is then compared with other vibration isolation methods via experiments. The results show that the QZS isolator achieves a high performance and adequately reconciles the contradiction between vibration isolation and stability.