Patent ID: 8876424

Claim:
A connection to connect a first and a second element, the connection comprising: a central portion having a transverse dimension, the central portion configured to deform elastically in flexure and in torsion; and first and second end portions attached to longitudinal ends of said central portion, a longitudinal axis extending between the longitudinal ends of said central portion, at least the first end portion configured to deform deforming elastically at least in one longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis, wherein a transverse dimension of the first and second end portions is larger than the transverse dimension of the central portion, and wherein the first end portion comprises a central area and a peripheral area, the central area thinned relative to the peripheral area in a direction along the longitudinal axis and the central area is configured to deform elastically in the direction along the longitudinal axis; wherein, when a load is applied to the first end portion along the longitudinal axis or to the second end portion along the longitudinal axis, the central area of the first end portion deforms such that the longitudinal end of the central portion that is attached to the central area of the first end portion moves in the direction along the longitudinal axis towards or away from the second end portion, and upon such deformation the central area forms a substantially parabolic shape, wherein the central portion is welded to the thinned central area, wherein the connection allows for small displacements between the first and second elements, wherein the connection is formed of at least one material capable of deforming elastically, and wherein the transverse dimension of the first end portion is larger than a longitudinal dimension of the central portion.