Investigation on a two-stage platform of large stroke for broadband vertical vibration isolation

Abstract

For the purpose of preventing vibration-sensitive optical switches from malfunction caused by broadband vertical vibration, a novel two-stage vibration isolation platform is proposed. The primary stage is a bellows-type isolator of large stroke and low isolation frequency, and the secondary stage is a small-stroke hybrid isolator composed of bellows and voice-coil actuators. In the primary stage, two pre-compressed horizontal bellows and one vertical bellows are used to counter the weight of the switch and to reduce the total height of the isolator. The static properties of the primary stage are analyzed, and the vibration isolation of the platform is investigated. Numerical results indicate that the two-stage platform is effective in isolating vertical vibration. Experiments are also conducted to verify the performance of the platform. It is exhibited that the transmissibility is less than 0 dB over 2 Hz, and the attenuation rate reaches −35 dB/dec at high frequencies. The frequency range of test is 2–200 Hz, and the maximum displacement is 10 mm at 2 Hz. In the secondary stage, the actuators can substantially suppress the resonance peak, and promote isolation performance at low frequencies.