Design strategies for large range flexure mechanisms

The moving parts in a mechanical device often rely on rolling or sliding contacts such as in ball bearings to gain motion. These suffice in many applications, but the friction inherent to their working principle limits their motion repeatability and thereby their precision. Flexure mechanisms are a popular alternative in the field of precision...

A Flexure-Based Linear Guide With Torsion Reinforcement Structures

In this study, a flexure-based (compliant) linear guide with a motion range comparable to its footprint is presented. The design consists of two-folded leaf springs on which torsion reinforcement structures are added. Due to these structures, only two-folded leaf springs are needed instead of a minimum of five as in preexisting designs. The...

A new type of spherical flexure joint based on tetrahedron elements

In this paper we present two new designs of spherical flexure joints, which are the compliant equivalent of a traditional ball-and-socket joint. The designs are formed by tetrahedron-shaped elements, each composed of three blade flexures with a trapezoidal shape, that are connected in series without intermediate bodies. This is new with...