Abstract: An optical table including a top facing sheet with apertures therethrough for supporting components on the top facing sheet, a bottom facing sheet spaced from the top facing sheet, and a panel under the top facing sheet including upstanding ribs defining channels between the ribs on one surface of the panel wherein the ribs support the top facing sheet and the channels are located beneath the apertures in the top facing sheet for capturing spills through the apertures in the top facing sheet.

Abstract: A gas spring including a housing, and a rolling convolution type flexible gas seal supporting a piston within the housing. The piston has a chamber and a resilient vibration damper unit resides within the chamber for reducing the horizontal stiffness of the gas spring.

Abstract: A reduced horizontal stiffness vibration isolation system including a gas spring assembly with a load support interface portion and pivot device externally coupled to the gas spring assembly for allowing the gas spring assembly to pivot when either the load support interface portion or the pivot device is displaced to reduce the horizontal stiffness of the gas spring assembly.

Abstract: The invention features a honeycomb table including a top facing sheet that may be perforated with openings, a bottom facing sheet, at least one layer of rigid corrugated material comprised of valleys and crests, at least one layer of honeycomb core, and preferably at least one internal stiffening sheet in preferably a permanently laminated composite. The longitudinal axes of the crests and valleys of the rigid corrugated material are aligned generally parallel to the top and bottom facing sheets. The longitudinal axes of the cells of the honeycomb core are aligned perpendicular to the top and bottom facing sheets. Every interface between a layer of rigid corugated material or honeycomb core and any other layer of rigid corrugated material or honeycomb core is preferably occupied by an internal stiffening sheet.