Novel modular quasi-zero stiffness vibration isolator with high linearity and integrated fluid damping

Passive vibration isolation systems have been widely applied due to their low power consumption and high reliability. Nevertheless, the design of vibration isolators is usually limited by the narrow space of installation, and the requirement of heavy loads needs the high supporting stiffness that leads to the narrow isolation frequency band. To improve the vibration isolation performance of passive isolation systems for dynamic loaded equipment, a novel modular quasi-zero stiffness vibration isolator (MQZS-VI) with high linearity and integrated fluid damping is proposed. The MQZS-VI can achieve high-performance vibration isolation under a constraint mounted space, which is realized by highly integrating a novel combined magnetic negative stiffness mechanism into a damping structure: The stator magnets are integrated into the cylinder block, and the moving magnets providing negative-stiffness force also function as the piston supplying damping force simultaneously. An analytical model of the novel MQZS-VI is established and verified first. The effects of geometric parameters on the characteristics of negative stiffness and damping are then elucidated in detail based on the analytical model, and the design procedure is proposed to provide guidelines for the performance optimization of the MQZS-VI. Finally, static and dynamic experiments are conducted on the prototype. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed analytical model can be effectively utilized in the optimal design of the MQZS-VI, and the optimized MQZS-VI broadened greatly the isolation frequency band and suppressed the resonance peak simultaneously, which presented a substantial potential for application in vibration isolation for dynamic loaded equipment.