US Patent 7586236 Tri-axial hybrid vibration isolator

A tri-axial vibration isolation device having: a passive isolation assembly including a first frame, a plurality of passive lateral isolators supporting the support frame on the base, and a plurality of passive vertical isolators; and an actuator assembly including a second frame, a vertical actuator arranged between the load and the second frame, and a plurality of lateral actuators arranged between the second frame and the passive vertical isolators. The actuators can be piezoelectric elements that change their thickness in response to an electrical signal. The lateral actuators are arranged in oppositely poled pairs. An accelerometer or other sensor provides information to a controller that controls the actuators.