DISC SPRING ASSEMBLY FOR VIBRATION REDUCTION

New spring systems which prevent the transfer of forces above a predefined level, for isolating a body from high acceleration vibrations. The systems use a stack of shell elements which have a bistable elastic response, and are connected serially in the stack, with the elements co-aligned relative to the axis of the stack. The connections between neighboring elements are executed by sets of support connections at two or more locations, e.g. the inner and outer diameters of the elements. A simple way to materialize such a stack is by using dished washers or other shell-like elements that feature mechanical bistability. The bistable elements are spaced sufficiently far apart from each other to enable them to reach all three branches (elastic states) of positive, negative and positive stiffness, characteristic of bistable mechanical elements.