THE TOPOLOGICAL SYNTHESIS OF COMPLIANT MECHANISMS

Type synthesis of rigid-link mechanisms provides a means to determine mechanism topologies before considering link dimensions. Although rese archers have provided valuable insight into the enumeration of mechani sms containing flexible members, a mathematically rigorous process for the topological synthesis of compliant mechanisms is lacking. One rea son for this is the large increase in the number of possible mechanism s for a given number of links when the links are allowed to be flexibl e. This paper addresses this challenge with the development of an enum eration process for compliant mechanisms that builds on the rigid-body type-synthesis techniques and the terminology previously established for compliant elements. Compliant segment and connection information a re included in the formulation and methods for determining isomorphism s are also introduced.