A Family of Butterfly Flexural Joints: Q-LITF Pivots

Author(s):  
Xu Pei ◽  
Jingjun Yu ◽  
Shusheng Bi ◽  
Guanghua Zong

The Leaf-type Isosceles-Trapezoidal Flexural (LITF) pivot consists of two compliant beams and two rigid-bodies. For a single LITF pivot, the range of motion is small while the center-shift is relatively large. The capability of performance can be improved greatly by the combination of four LITF pivots. Base on the pseudo-rigid-body model (PRBM) of a LITF pivot, a method to construct the Quadri-LITF pivots is presented by regarding a single LITF pivot (or double-LITF pivot) as a the configurable flexure module. Ten types of Q-LITF pivots are synthesized. Compared with the single LIFT pivot, the stroke becomes larger, and stiffness becomes smaller. Four of them have the increased center-shift. The other four have the decreased center-shift. One of the quadruple LITF pivots is selected as the examples to explain the proposed method. The comparison between PRBM and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) result shows the validity and effectiveness of the method.

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Pei ◽  
Jingjun Yu ◽  
Guanghua Zong ◽  
Shusheng Bi ◽  
Yida Hu

The leaf-type isosceles-trapezoidal flexural (LITF) pivot consists of two compliant beams and two rigid bodies. For a single LITF pivot, the range of motion is small while the center-shift is relatively large. The capability of performance can be improved greatly by the combination of two LITF pivots. Base on the pseudorigid-body (PRB) model of a LITF pivot, a method to construct the double-LITF pivots is presented by regarding a single LITF pivot as a the configurable flexure module. The trends of the center-shift are mainly considered by using this method with the combination of two LIFT pivots. Eight types of double-LITF pivots are synthesized. Compared with the single LIFT pivot, the stroke becomes larger, and stiffness becomes smaller. Four of them have the increased center-shift. The other four have the decreased center-shift. Two of the double-LITF pivots are selected as the examples to explain the proposed method. The comparison between PRB model and finite element analysis result shows the validity and effectiveness of the method.


Author(s):  
Xu Pei ◽  
Jingjun Yu ◽  
Guanghua Zong ◽  
Shusheng Bi

A Leaf-type Isosceles-trapezoidal Flexural (LITF) pivot can be of great practical use for designing compliant mechanisms. The analysis of load-deflection behavior for such a pivot is essential to the study on the mechanisms which are composed of the pivots. A pseudo-rigid-body model provides a simple and accurate method. Based on the analysis of a single special loaded leaf segment, a four-bar model is presented. The four-bar model is further simplified to a pin-joint model for the simpler applications. The accuracy of both models is demonstrated by comparing results to those of non-linear finite element analysis. At last, the two models are applied to analyze the cartwheel hinge as an example.


Author(s):  
Issa A. Ramirez ◽  
Craig P. Lusk

The kinematic equations for approximating the deflection of a three-dimensional cantilever beam were developed. The numerical equations were validated with a Finite Element Analysis program. With these equations, a pseudo-rigid-body model (PRBM) for an axisymmetric straight beam was developed. The axisymmetric PRBM consists of a spherical joint connecting two rigid links. The location of the deformed end of the beam is determined by two angles and the characteristic radius factor. The angle of the beam with respect to the vertical axis depends on the direction of the force with respect to the undeformed coordinate system. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient for the Finite Element Analysis model and the numerical integration is 0.952.


Author(s):  
Alden Yellowhorse ◽  
Larry L. Howell

Origami-inspired mechanisms have a variety of potential applications but present many challenges in their design. Problems such as mechanism inflexibility must be considered for any application but may not always be easily resolvable. One option in such a case would be to rely on the inherent flexibility of the origami panels to permit motion. This paper presents a method for increasing the flexibility of a structure and enabling motion in an otherwise immobile origami-inspired mechanism. This method will be derived analytically and then verified through finite-element analysis and experiments.


Author(s):  
Giovanni Berselli ◽  
Rocco Vertechy ◽  
Gabriele Vassura ◽  
Vincenzo Parenti Castelli

The interest in actuators based on dielectric elastomer films as a promising technology in robotic and mechatronic applications is increasing. The overall actuator performances are influenced by the design of both the active film and the film supporting frame. This paper presents a single-acting actuator which is capable of supplying a constant force over a given range of motion. The actuator is obtained by coupling a rectangular film of silicone dielectric elastomer with a monolithic frame designed to suitably modify the force generated by the dielectric elastomer film. The frame is a fully compliant mechanism whose main structural parameters are calculated using a pseudo-rigid-body model and then verified by finite element analysis. Simulations show promising performance of the proposed actuator.


Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Verotti ◽  
Alvise Bagolini ◽  
Pierluigi Bellutti ◽  
Nicola Pio Belfiore

This paper deals with the manipulation of micro-objects operated by a new concept multi-hinge multi-DoF (degree of freedom) microsystem. The system is composed of a planar 3-DoF microstage and of a set of one-DoF microgrippers, and it is arranged is such a way as to allow any microgripper to crawl over the stage. As a result, the optimal configuration to grasp the micro-object can be reached. Classical algorithms of kinematic analysis have been used to study the rigid-body model of the mobile platform. Then, the rigid-body replacement method has been implemented to design the corresponding compliant mechanism, whose geometry can be transferred onto the etch mask. Deep-reactive ion etching (DRIE) is suggested to fabricate the whole system. The main contributions of this investigation consist of (i) the achievement of a relative motion between the supporting platform and the microgrippers, and of (ii) the design of a process flow for the simultaneous fabrication of the stage and the microgrippers, starting from a single silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. Functionality is validated via theoretical simulation and finite element analysis, whereas fabrication feasibility is granted by preliminary tests performed on some parts of the microsystem.


2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei Xu ◽  
Yu Jingjun ◽  
Zong Guanghua ◽  
Bi Shusheng

A leaf-type isosceles-trapezoidal flexural pivot can be of great practical use for designing compliant mechanisms. The analysis of load-deflection behavior for such a pivot is essential to the study of the mechanisms that are comprised of them. Based on the analysis of a single special loaded leaf segment, a pseudo-rigid-body four-bar model is proposed. The four-bar model is further simplified to a pin-joint model for some simple applications. The accuracy of both models is demonstrated by comparing results to those of nonlinear finite element analysis. At last, the two models are applied to analyze the cartwheel hinge as an example.


2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Berselli ◽  
Rocco Vertechy ◽  
Gabriele Vassura ◽  
Vincenzo Parenti Castelli

The interest in actuators based on dielectric elastomer films as a promising technology in robotic and mechatronic applications is increasing. The overall actuator performances are influenced by the design of both the active film and the film supporting frame. This paper presents a single-acting actuator, which is capable of supplying a constant force over a given range of motion. The actuator is obtained by coupling a rectangular film of silicone dielectric elastomer with a monolithic frame designed to suitably modify the force generated by the dielectric elastomer film. The frame is a fully compliant mechanism whose main structural parameters are calculated using a pseudo-rigid-body model and then verified by finite element analysis. Simulations show promising performance of the proposed actuator.


Author(s):  
Dana Vogtmann ◽  
Satyandra K. Gupta ◽  
Sarah Bergbreiter

This paper extends a previously developed Pseudo Rigid Body (PRB) analytical model for miniature elastomeric joints by introducing correction factors for joints with geometry not previously considered. Inclusion of these correction factors has resulted in an increase in the accuracy of the model from 20% to within 3% in bending and from 25% to within 7% in tension, when compared to equivalent Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models. Additionally, using the PRB model, a robotic leg with four elastomeric joints has been modeled, resulting in a maximum error of 12% when compared to an equivalent FEA model. Finally, the PRB model was used to optimize the robotic leg for minimum motor torque required to drive a hexapedal robot with six identical legs.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1120-1121 ◽  
pp. 1089-1092
Author(s):  
Qing Dong Qin

The electricity consuming of aluminium electrolysis cell is affected by the voltage drop of anode steel claws during the aluminium electrolysis course. The resistivity of anode steel claws is affected by the temperature. In the present study, the thermal field distribution of anode steel claws was studied by finite element analysis. The results show that the thermal energy of anode steel claws come from anode carbon blocks and environment. The temperature of steel claws less than 1/3 height is affected by anode carbon blocks, and the other part is affected by surrounding temperature. According the results, the principle of the new anode steel claw design is proposed.


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