Patent ID: 8511004

Claim:
A method for cushioning an object from the full acceleration provided by an external vibration, comprising: placing said object on an isolating flooring system that provides seismic isolation restoring force without springs or coils, said system comprising: a. one or more horizontal flooring panels, each said panel having a top surface and a bottom surface, b. a frame adapted to support said flooring panel(s), c. a plurality of load-bearing flooring pedestals extending vertically downward from said frame, and d. a plurality of seismic isolation bearings, each such bearing comprising i. an upper load plate having a downward facing rigid load surface and defining a recessed load surface comprising a concave or conical surface; ii) a lower load plate having an upward facing rigid load surface opposing and substantially identical to the load surface of the upper load plate, and defining a recessed load surface comprising a concave or conical surface; wherein said opposing load surfaces define a cavity; and iii) a ball disposed within said cavity; wherein each said bearing is directly or indirectly secured to a flooring pedestal, wherein a load placed upon the top surface of said one or more panels is transferred through said frame, pedestals and bearings to a foundation, wherein the flooring system is structured so that a lateral vibrational force applied to the foundation causes the upper plate of a bearing to be displaced relative to the lower plate of the bearing, and wherein a gap permitting a full range of motion is maintained around the perimeter of the system; whereby during an external vibration the isolating flooring system cushions said object from the full acceleration provided by said external vibration.